And the Sun Shall Set Once More
by Hyacinthus
Summary: Ryou will go anywhere to retreive his Yami. Even if it means the end of the world. BakuraXRyou MalikxMarik Other assorted couplings
1. And Then There Were Three

Fic Title  
  
By: Hyacinthus  
  
Rating: R  
  
Description: "Ryou and Malik, ripped away from their Yami's cling to what is remaining of their sanity. Desperately unfulfilled, to what lengths will they go to regain their Yami's? New enemies begin to gather at the horizon, awaiting the new day. WARNING: YAOI!"  
  
AN: HEY y'all! Dis is Kar here. And this uhhh acct. thingy is a joint thingy between me and Kaede here! So yea, dis is our first joint ficcy, and we hopes you like!   
  
Kaede: I think my fic part was crappy  
  
Kar: Hrrm. I don think so. HSB!!!  
  
Kaede: Shut up!  
  
Kar: You're mean…  
  
Kaede: We should talk more!  
  
Kar: I'm pretty sure they don't getting sick of our blabbing  
  
Kaede: It's their choice to read this part.  
  
Kar: Oh ya.  
  
Kaede: *sigh* You looked at me funny.  
  
Kar: I did no such thing, and Yami no Yugi should die.  
  
Kaede: Yah Yami is Daisuke's and Sasuke's kid?  
  
Kar: Hell Yah!  
  
Kaede: Neways, read and review.  
  
Kar n Kaede: Oh BA~KU~RA~KUN!!!! (holds up red hot iron poker)  
  
Bakura: (greatly disgruntled) Hrr… Kaede n Kar don't own Yugioh…but they do own this, and if you take it, den euhhh….  
  
Ryou: (pops in outta nowhere) I get ta sick Bakura on yah!  
  
Bakura: I am making my own Frankenstein. You have nice ears.  
  
Pairings (for this section): ShizukaxHonda, ShizukaxOtogi, MaixJou, YugixYami, RyouxMalik  
  
Prologue:   
  
It was silent in the dark, shrouded room, the kind of silence that invades the corners of your mind, screaming and bitching utter profanity at you. Light sifted through slits in the shutters, creating ghostly shadows throughout the room. In the center of the room a shadow moved, out of which a pale hand slid out and hesitated, eventually resting on the telephone. Dark eyes stared out beneath a hood and glanced around the room... eyes that held betrayal, longing, sadness, and a trace of innocence behind locked bars. Smooth fingers curled and uncurled before drawing the phone up to the hooded face and pressing a few buttons with a long finger.   
  
"Moshi Moshi, Malik Speaking."   
  
"M-Malik?"   
  
"MmHmm Whatcha need?"   
  
"I need you to do a favor for me…"  
  
/…Yami to Yugi…/  
  
//…Yugi to Yami…//  
  
'…thoughts…'  
  
Episode One: And Then There Were Three  
  
  
  
"YAMI!!!!!" screamed a boy with tri-colored hair. His fingers moved deftly to cut the vegetables before placing them in the boiling pot. Moments later, another boy, who could have passed as Yugi's twin, popped his head through the side of the kitchen and asked "Hrr, whatcha need me for aibou?"  
  
"Ano. Dinner's almost ready. Can you set the table?"  
  
"Hai! And that apron looks nice on you." Yami said, throwing a wink, causing Yugi to blush a bright red. /Especially with nothing else…/  
  
"Baka Hentai Yami!" screeched Yugi, "Set the table!"  
  
"HaiHai!" replied Yami before opening up the cupboards and grabbing the plates.  
  
Yugi sighed before turning back to the stove. 'I don't know…' he glanced down at the ring on his right hand 'You'd think that after being married for three years, I'd let him do something…' Yugi shook his head trying to shake the tears from coming. 'But...I'm scared. He probably hates me, and regrets it…'  
  
"Aibou?" questioned the darker one. "Are you alright?"  
  
Yugi stood still before replying, "I'm fine." He quickly plastered on a smile, before asking, "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, it just seemed like you were a little out of it there."  
  
Yugi smiled before sending down waves of comfort and contentment down their mindlink. "Thank you, Yami. For caring so much."  
  
Yami grinned at his shorter counterpart, who wasn't so very short anymore, before hustling out of the kitchen. Yugi smiled softly to himself as he heard the sound of plates gently hitting the mahogany table. He added the cut vegetables to the pot before bringing the fire down to a simmer and stirred slowly. The dinner room had gotten strangely quiet in the meantime. 'I wonder what he's doing…' //Yami? // Asked Yugi.  
  
/Yes aibou? /  
  
//What are you doing? //  
  
/Something special/ Yami grinned.  
  
//If anything gets blown up…// Yugi replied warningly. Last time Yami no Yugi had planned something 'special' the fire department got involved. Yugi sighed. It was also the time that he found out that the hair gel he used was flammable. Extremely so.  
  
Silence on the other end. /I hope not. /  
  
//Just be careful, okay? //  
  
/Anything for you. /  
  
'I don't deserve him' Yugi thought quietly before ladling out two bowls of soup, and carrying them into the kitchen. He gasped as he turned the corner into the dining room. The lights were off, and the room was dark, save for two single candles, giving off a soft glow in the dark. Yugi set the two bowls on the table before reaching out a tendril of thought. //Yami? // He asked, before two strong arms enveloped him from behind. Yugi giggled childishly as he felt Yami's hot breath at the nape of his neck.   
  
/Do you remember what day it is tonight? /  
  
Yugi thought for a moment, scratching futilely at the dark unused corners of his mind trying to come up with an answer. 'Hrr.. I should know this!' He thought absently. //What day is it Yami? //  
  
Yami grinned slightly before whispering in his ear "Happy Birthday Yugi!"  
  
Yugi's eyes lit up in pure delight, two amethyst beacons shining out into the darkness.   
  
/I'm…speechless. / He sent down the mindlink after he recovered from the initial shock. /I don't quite know what to say…/  
  
//Well aibou, that's usually what's implied by speechless. // Yami smirked.  
  
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much!" screamed Yugi before latching himself into his darker half's arms.  
  
"You're welcome hikari-chan," replied Yugioh before bringing Yugi's lips to meet with his own.  
  
Yugi giggled into the kiss, 'This', he thought, 'This, is what heaven truly is. Ra has truly graced me with a gift.' /I love you Yami. /  
  
//Love you too 'ikari, ready to eat? //  
  
"Hai!" replied Yugi, beaming.  
  
Yami pulled out a chair from the side of the table and motioned for Yugi to sit. "After you." He said, gently smiling.  
  
Yugi flushed. "A-arigato Yami-chan."   
  
"Ya know, that red looks very becoming on you." Remarked Yami, gesturing to Yugi's red face. "It kind of reminds me of a tomato. I wonder if it tastes good…"  
  
"YAMI!!!! Stop teasing me!" whined Yugi.  
  
"HaiHai, lil' Yugi-chan."   
  
"I am not little!" replied Yugi, and jutted out his chin as if to prove a point. "I'm almost as tall as you!"  
  
"That you are, my little Yugi-chan. You've grown a lot over the years." Yami's eyes travested over Yugi's taller, lean, tanned body. "That you are."  
  
Yugi grinned. "Aren't you going to sit?"  
  
"Haihai. I shall do as the young master commands!" Yami said, eyes twinkling.  
  
Yugi sighed and looked across the table at his Yami, whose face was half hidden by the candles. "Yami-chan?"  
  
"Hnnh…?" questioned Yugioh.  
  
"Will you stay with me?"  
  
"Hnnh…?"  
  
"Will you stay with me – forever?"  
  
"Hai, aibou. Forever."  
  
"Me too…"  
  
"Hrr..?"  
  
"Stay with you, forever. No matter what you do, or have done, I'll stay with you. Forever."  
  
Yami's brilliant red eyes shone back at him with adoration. "Hai, my little Yugi-chan."  
  
Yugi's eyes welled up suddenly. "G-Gomen ne…"  
  
Yami looked over to his aibou in confusion. "Why are you apologizing? Yugi? What's wrong?"  
  
Yugi sighed dejectedly. "I-it's just that, I don't think I've been a very good lover…I haven't let you do anything to me, even though…I know you want it…"  
  
Yami looked over at his aibou, amusement clear in his eyes, before getting up and walking over to Yugi and placing a hand on the little one's cheek. "Yugi. That's not what I care about. I care more about…I care more about you, and whether or not you are happy." He snorted. "I could care less about sex."  
  
Yugi brightened up noticeably. "D-Do you mean it?"  
  
"Hai aibou. I mean it."  
  
"Arigato Yami-chan!" exclaimed Yugi, wrapping his arms around Yami's neck.  
  
"Now how about that dinner, little one?"  
  
"Okay, Yami!"  
  
***  
  
"Damnit!" screamed a blue-cloaked child, before swinging his hand around and shattering the crystal ball. "How dare he…How dare he enjoy happiness. How dare that Pharaoh enjoy happiness…"  
  
The child's eyes closed briefly, as images ran through his head. Screaming. Pain. Blood. Gone. Emptiness. Across from him, a boy with bright lavender eyes wept, drawing his gold cloak tighter around his body.   
  
"Malik?"  
  
The blonde male shrieked with laughter as his tears quickly dissipated. "The Pharaoh shall die soon, as his ruby crusted blood spills across the dueling arena, we shall rejoice!" He howled, before clutching his fists and shaking with uncontrollable fury. "…And then, I won't be alone any more…" A golden mark flashed on his forehead as he spoke these words, lighting the room with his anger.  
  
"Malik?" Asked the blue-cloaked male, placing a friend on his friend's shoulder. Chocolate eyes stared out from underneath the hood. "It'll be over soon. I hope. It'll be over soon, and then it'll be back to the way it was before…" He choked up, tears coming to the corner of his eyes.   
  
Malik stopped and lifted his lavender eyes. "Before they were taken. Before this whole thing started. Before that fucking stupid Pharoah interfered." He said quietly.  
  
Chocolate eyes softened at that before clutching Malik's cloak and bringing the blonde boy's head down for a quick kiss. "We should get going you know…Isis 'neechan will wonder."  
  
"Hai. But I think she'll understand. Six years is a long time to go without your other half. Ne, Ryou?"  
  
"Let's go…" mumbled Ryou sullenly, drawing long fingers across his back, as golden light slowly faded from view.  
  
"Let's." agreed Malik, swooping his hand down and clutching the other boy's hand firmly in his own.  
  
***  
  
Chocolate eyes glared at the blaring, flashing screen, as hands, greased by sweat, rapidly pounded on age-loosened buttons.   
  
"Oh no you don't", the blonde shakily muttered, punching in the beginning of the combo. "You-" the screen flared red and white, flashing incomprehensibly quickly through the spectrum of colors. "BITCH!" He yelled, slamming his fists onto the control board.  
  
"And how would you know that?" Mai deviously arched an eyebrow as she smiled, amused by her hotheaded boyfriend. He stopped and cocked his head sideways, looking at her.  
  
"Um, I mean, I didn't mean you exa-" He began when Mai's soft, affectionate lips pressed into his own. Sounds of video games blasted from all directions and warm, sweating bodies filled the area. There was a brief pause. "Err, okay, I take that back. Someone is unusually affectionate and grabby today," Jounochi returned the expression to Mai, wrapping an arm around her side so they were walking closely abreast. "You wanna go grab something to eat? It seems as though Shizuka and Honda are running a bit late today."  
  
"I guess so," Mai said, leaning her head against Jounochi's shoulder as they made their way towards the exit, deliberately giving a quick tug on his jeans as she placed her hand around his waist.  
  
"I still don't see why you had to drag this guy along," Honda sighed in an exasperated tone as he glared at the relaxed young man standing nearby.  
  
"Oh come on Honda!" Shizuka teased. "I really want him to come. The more the merrier right?" She begged. "You aren't going to make him go back home are you?" She pleadingly latched onto Otogi's arm, like a child to an abandoned puppy, causing Honda to blush a cherry-red hue. "Please?" She asked again. Otogi burst out laughing as Honda's eyebrows twitched in irritation and embarrassment.   
  
"Stop that!" Honda exclaimed, jumping forward to separate the two.   
  
"Hey, take it easy, man," Otogi sighed, stepping back with Shizuka. "What's your problem? Are you jealous or something?" Despite his words, he didn't pull away from Jounochi's sister- in fact he moved closer. Honda did not notice her subconsciously pulling Otogi's arm nearer to her.  
  
Confused, Shizuka looked from one to the other and then asked quite plainly, though obviously confused, "Ehh? What's going on?"  
  
"Fine, he can come along," Honda begrudgingly mumbled.   
  
"Really? Thank you!" Shizuka exclaimed, stepping away from Otogi, she hugged her brother's furious friend." I'm so glad." She smiled, soothing the savage beast, who once more turned red, for different reasons. Minutes later Honda had cooled down, though still irritated by the presence of Otogi. Things hadn't sat well between Otogi and Jounochi since the whole dog suit fiasco, so Honda sided with his friend, not to say he didn't have other motives as well.   
  
"Well we better get going to the mall," Honda grudgingly stated. "What time were we supposed to meet your brother and Mai anyway?"  
  
Glancing at her watch, Shizuka gasped, "Oh no! It's already twelve! We were supposed to meet them in the arcade at ten forty-five!"  
  
"WHAT?" Otogi and Honda each grabbed one of Shizuka's hands, practically dragging her along as they began sprinting in the general direction of the mall. "It's all Otogi's fault! If we hadn't gone to pick him up," Honda gasped between breaths, "we would have been right on time!"  
  
"Honda! don't say that," Shizuka pleaded. "If you would have let me call him so we could have met half-way, rather than veritably drag you over there, then we wouldn't have wasted any time."  
  
"Hey guys, don't waste your breath arguing on my behalf," Otogi grinned, pleased that Shizuka had defended him in the verbal conflict. "It will only slow us down." With a huff, Honda shut-up and continued running, while the younger girl sighed gratefully, squeezing Otogi's hand in gratitude.  
  
Upon arrival at the mall, the trio fell into the tile benches that lined the center of the hallways. Panting, Shizuka leaned back into Otogi's extended arm, at first unaware that it was there. Leaning over his knees, Honda hardly paid them any attention. He was busy surveying the area, as if looking for something, eyes narrowed to slits as he squinted. With his free hand, Otogi fished into his pockets, pulling out a handful of dice. Clenched in his closed fist, he rolled them in his hand, out of sight. Rather abruptly, something shook his left ear, in a swinging motion.  
  
"So I've heard you're really obsessed with these things," Shizuka said, hand hanging near his ear, indicating the die hanging from his earring chain. She smiled cheerfully, breathing normally once again, and playfully batted at the die with her index finger once more.   
  
Opening his right palm, he expended it to Shizuka showing her the dice. "I guess you could say its a more than a hobby," he chuckled, tossing them in the air, and catching them in a closed fist. There were seven of them, each a different shape and size. Seeing her perplexsion, Otogi extended his fist, palm down, to her. "Go ahead, open your palms." Opening them, the sides together, she lifted them under Otogi's hand. Catching them, she stared, enchanted by their form.   
  
"What are they used for? these aren't normal dice, right?" She asked, holding one between her thumb and index finger, examining it.   
  
Smiling, Otogi pointed at each, explaining their different shapes and uses. "Dungeon Dice monsters isn't the only game I play with dice you know," he said, then whispered in her ear, "just like relations ships, I'm not just a friend to everyone." She blushed a little, and turned away a bit, slightly smiling. Grinning slyly, he withdrew his arm from behind her and ran it across the back of her head. Then something registered in their minds.   
  
Shizuka voiced their thoughts." Where's Honda?" Standing, Otogi's crimson vest rustled about him, as though to orchestrate his irritation and curiosity as to where the other boy had gone, regardless of their quarreling.  
  
"Hey guys, what're you doing?" Honda asked, jogging up to them. In his hands were three slush-like drinks from a nearby concession stand located in the mall. "I'm surprised you weren't hitting on her some more when I got back," he feinted, though a slight snarl backed up the statement. Otogi shrugged it off and didn't bother to tell Honda he had just been explaining the whole dice thing to her, as it would most likely irritate him more. In light of Honda's recent attitude, Otogi had begun to seriously believe Jounochi's hot-headed personality had rubbed off on the usually withdrawn Honda. Passing the drinks out, the three headed for the arcade, where they were to meet Mai and Jounochi.   
  
"I hope we didn't worry them by coming so late," Shizuka said, almost in an apologetic tone.  
  
"Well if they are, we can always tell them it was this guys fault." Honda jerked his thumb accusingly at Otogi.  
  
"Don't worry, they probably enjoyed the time alone together," Otogi interjected.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Honda took the defensive side for his friend.  
  
"Well, nothing obviously. They are a couple, right?" Otogi explained. "Besides, if they are angry I'll take the blame, so long as Shizuka doesn't get in trouble."  
  
"Really? You'd do that for me? Wow, thank you," Shizuka beamed, easily made happy by so simple a statement.  
  
"Of course I would," he said, giving Shizuka a soft fake punch to the shoulder. Honda fumed, infuriated by Otogi's ability to make advances at Shizuka.  
  
Entering the arcade, they hit a wall of noise and heat, fused together by the hot, sweating bodies filling the crowded space. Darkness and blaring noise met them, contrasted by the flashing lights of video games and entertainment machines. Slowly making their way thought the crowds of people, they stared around and searched, but found no trace of Jounochi or Mai. Eventually they made their way to the exit and piled out into the cool air-conditioned halls.  
  
"You don't think they left, do you?" She asked her two friends, eyebrows furrowing.  
  
"No, that isn't Jounochi's style." Honda reassured her. "He's probably hanging around here somewhere, with Mai."  
  
Glancing around and seeing no signs of them Otogi simply stated, "Then why don't we get going? We should be off looking for them, as we are the late ones, right?" Straightening up, he started off in the direction of the escalator.   
  
"And exactly where are you headed?" Honda asked, putting on a condescending air.  
  
Eyebrows arched in a challenging expression, Otogi answered. "To the food court. I am sure we are all hungry, and as it is around lunchtime, I'm sure we'll be likely to run into them there." Shizuka hurried after him, and Honda followed, proven wrong by Otogi again, much to his displeasure.  
  
Catching up to Otogi and Shizuka on the escalator, Honda stepped into place behind Shizuka, pulling the rear. It used to be different, before Otogi had been around, back when it was just him, Jounochi, and Shizuka. He had had her all to himself, and Jounochi approved, he still did. Assuming things would always be that way was a mistake, and never telling Shizuka how he felt about her later in the years when they had grown was yet another. He had never gathered the courage nor confidence to tell her how he felt, and then it was all ruined. When Otogi stepped in, everything was put at stake, and all he had ever had innumerable time to do before became limited. It certainly seemed as though things were pretty equal among the two of them to Honda, but he feared Otogi was getting the upper hand. He feared Otogi would take Shizuka from him, before he could even tell her what he believed he must.   
  
"Honda?" Startled, Honda jumped a bit, and looked up to see Shizuka looking down at him, worry scribbled across her face. Like a beloved angel above him, she seemed so unattainable, that though the words had begun to form, they did not take shape, for he was paralyzed by her beauty. Looking away, he frowned with a miniscule hint of tragedy, then turned back toward her, to wipe away the worried expression and feelings from her.  
  
"It's nothing, don't worry," He smiled and looked up at her. "I was just wondering where Jounochi and Mai might be, as I doubt they are in the food court." His tone again communicated feelings of condescension for Otogi, even if he didn't hear him. Shizuka smiled weakly, though Honda's attitude worried her. Stepping off the escalator, they walked toward the general direction of the food court, Honda periodically glaring at the back of Otogi's head. Arriving at the food court, they saw no sign of the two in question.  
  
"Hey, you guys want to grab something to eat?" Otogi asked, glancing around at the various restaurants and foods available.   
  
"What?" Honda twitched. "You couldn't find them, so you decide to just abandon the task at hand in favor of feeding your stomach?" Obviously annoyed by Otogi's cool attitude, the frustrated youth glared around, twitching irritably.  
  
"No, in fact, it is likely they will show up here as it is around lunch time. You know no one is always on time," he kindly explained, though Honda's attitude was starting to get to him. "Besides, I think we might all be getting a little irritable because of our hunger, let get a bite while we wait."  
  
Honda snorted, jealous of Otogi's seemingly polished personality. "Listen, I'm going to go look for them, rather than sit on my lazy butt and wait around," he almost yelled in Otogi's face before storming off.  
  
"What was that about?" Shizuka asked, worry and bewilderment beginning to creep into her voice. Then she calmed and rationalized that her brother did this a lot before, so it was probably just a fit on Honda's part. "You don't think he's in any danger right?" She asked Otogi for reassurance.  
  
After staring in the direction to which Honda had disappeared, Otogi sighed. "Yeah, don't worry. A guy like him won't get into any trouble. Even if he does he can defend himself." He paused. "Besides I'm sure Mai and your brother will show up here sooner or later. Why don't we grab a bite, my treat?"  
  
Breaking their hold on one another to allow easier movement, Mai regained her usual tough external composure. The relatively empty hallways of the mall still had groups of people in them, and walking abreast like Siamese twins attached at the hip didn't always allow for easy traveling with these sparse groups. That wasn't the only thing of course, for if she had really felt like it, she would have continued to latch on to her boyfriend, but that wasn't the case, in fact that wasn't at all something she would do, normally. Then again, normally she wouldn't have been all snuggly in the arcade either, she mentally fumed. Hormones are a bitch.  
  
"What looks good to you?" Shizuka asked, unable to decide on a dish, as they stood before an Japanese fast-food place, titled Tokyo Grill.  
  
"The curry plate looks good, I guess." He replied, though pausing.  
  
"I guess so, but I'm not that hungry."  
  
"Yeah, me too. Hey, why don't we share a plate?"  
  
"Okay," she answered with a smile, though a trace of blush accented her face.  
  
"You sure? If you don't want to I understand," he said in concern for her feelings and opinions.  
  
"No, no, I'd really like to share a plate with you," she hurriedly stated, then stuttered, "I-I meant it seems like a good idea, to avoid wasting I mean." Amused, Otogi smiled, and put a caring hand on Shizuka's shoulder. Shizuka's eyes traveled to the hand, then Otogi's face, before deciding that it was an appropriate moment to be confused.  
  
"Alright." And the two went to cashier and Otogi ordered. Stepping back and waiting for their number to be called, they leaned up against the wall separating the seats behind them from the restaurants. The rustle of people passing and sounds of children dragging their parents to the nearest fast-food place with a sickeningly cute mascot seemed to be the only noise in existence when Otogi broke the moment. Thinking briefly before speaking, he turned to Shizuka and asked casually, "do you like hanging out with Honda and your brother? It seems like you do it a lot."  
  
"I guess it's okay, but it isn't always the most fun option in the universe. I mean it's much more fun to hang around here with you." She said after a moment's hesitation, holding her breath. Otogi grinned crookedly, though once more the girl was looking away. Almost feeling as though he were being humored by the kind-hearted girl, the hint of pink he could see on her cheek was all that told him her words were sincere.   
  
Scanning the crowd at the food court, Jounochi grabbed Mai's hand and asked where she would like to eat. Looking around the area, they noticed that pretty much everyplace that was good was crowded, save for the Tokyo Grill, a place they frequented. Jounochi motioned toward the restaurant, and Mai shrugged, then nodded. Wading through the lines in front of each of the restaurants between them and their destination, Jounochi tugged on Mai's hand and pointed. Peeking over the crowd, Mai spotted Shizuka leaning against the wall in front of Tokyo Grill. She nodded and let go of Jounochi's hand so that he could go greet his sister. Running through the crowd, he approached his sister.  
  
"Hey Shi-" he halted before the two. "What the heck are YOU doing here?!" Jounochi glared at Otogi. Then noticing his sister's pink-tinged face, he turned back to the offending boy. "And what did you say to her?"  
  
"I invited him!" Shizuka blurted out, hoping to avoid a confrontation.  
  
Twitching, Jounochi made an effort to appear angry at his sister. "You, what? May I even ask why you would want to?"  
  
Not wanting a repeat of the earlier incident between Otogi and Honda, Shizuka quickly hopped over to Otogi and blurted out defensively, "I really wanted him to come because I thought it would be fun, and when Honda got angry and left, he stayed around and took care of me, ne Otogi-kun?" She grabbed his arm. "He even bought lunch for us like you said a proper gentleman should." The pleading desperate look in her eyes melted Jounochi's guise of anger toward her.  
  
"Fine, I believe you, he can stay." He ruffled her hair as Mai showed up, giving Otogi a dirty look. Otogi just sighed and looked another way.  
  
"Hey Jounochi, I ordered what we usually do," Mai stated, then turned toward Otogi, "hey stranger, long time no see."  
  
Tuning toward Mai, Otogi grinned and raised a half-salute. "How're you doing?"  
  
"Number 98, your order is ready," a voice yelled toward the crowd, cutting their conversation short. Glancing at his receipt, Otogi gave a concise, polite apology, and rushed off to grab the food. Letting out an exasperated breath, Jounochi stared at his sister and half-whispered in her ear.  
  
"Tell me again, why did you invite him?"  
  
Shizuka smiled and chirped "Because Otogi's nice and fun." Mai giggled, and Jounochi slumped in defeat. "What's wrong Onii-san?"  
  
"It's nothing, nothing at all."  
  
"Don't worry," Mai told Shizuka, "he's just having a hard time seeing you grow up."  
  
"What did you say?" Jounochi turned from his state of self-pity towards the two girls.  
  
"Nothing at all," Mai said, giving him the most innocent look she could manage.  
  
"Really, I didn't hear it," Jounochi pleaded.  
  
While they teased him the order for their food came up, and Mai left to get it. By then their moods had calmed down, and Jounochi leaned against the wall. Mai began walking back with the food and drinks carefully balanced.  
  
"Hey! I found a table over here!" Otogi popped out from behind them and clapped a hand on Shizuka and Jounochi's shoulders. Jounochi jumped, then Shizuka and Otogi, both of whom were laugh at how easily he was frightened. When he looked to his girlfriend for help, none came, as she was practically ready to drop the tray, having almost doubled over in laughter. Grabbing the tray from Mai, he smiled, laughter being the contagious thing that it is, and led the two girls over to where Otogi was standing.   
  
"Where the heck are they? I've searched almost the entire mall," Honda muttered to himself as he headed through the crowded department store. His better sense of logic told him it was highly improbable that he would find them here, though at the point he had reached, he was desperate enough to try anything. "I just hope Otogi doesn't find them first." He kicked a scrap of paper that lay on the linoleum flooring, hoping it would help vent his frustration. He didn't want to believe he was wrong, though it was becoming a more and more convincing case. Pushing those thoughts and doubts out of mind, Honda left the department store, heading for a nearby games shop, thinking Mai and Jounochi might have gone to upgrade their decks, however ridiculous it seemed as duelists of their caliber.  
  
Sitting down at the table, the foursome passed out chopsticks, napkins, and straws for the drinks. Jounochi counted the dishes, and found there only to be two. There were four people and two plates, given they were large plates, but still only two plates. Mai and he were sharing one, but there was still only one plate on the other side of the table.  
  
"Otogi, where's your food?" Jounochi asked, a half-puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Oh, this is mine." Otogi pointed at the dish on his and Shizuka's side of the table.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Seeing her brother's confusion, Shizuka cut in, "we're sharing a plate because we're both hungry, but we didn't want to waste, and this order is about right for us two." She explained as though the action were like breaking a very large cookie in half, rather than taking turns biting off of the same area.  
  
"You're sharing a plate?" Jounochi asked, half-disbelieving and blandly monotonously. He looked from one to the other, "You can't be serious." Then giving both, together, a long stare, he asked incredulously, "You're sharing a large plate of something as watery and easy for germs to travel in, as curry and rice?"  
  
"What's wrong with that? You and Mai are sharing noodles." Shizuka pointed out, innocently.  
  
"But that's, it's, you see," Jounochi struggled for words for a while before Mai shoved a chopstick-full of noodles in his mouth.   
  
"Enjoy your meal," Mai smiled at the two, winking at Otogi, whom mouthed 'thank you' to her, before the two others began eating as well. Changing the subject for Otogi's and Shizuka's sake, Mai inquired ho their day had been up until they met, as well as what had passed.   
  
"Yeah, that reminds me, where's Honda?" Jounochi chimed in, leaving the issue of Otogi and his sister sharing a dish of food for later.   
  
"Well, uh, you see..." Shizuka began, and told them of why they were late, taking turns with Otogi to fill in the basic gist of things. Otogi, of course, omitted any information involving him and Shizuka being alone, until it was necessary.   
  
"Well, it looks like my lover-boy here has been a bad influence on a certain friend of his, Mai stated, giving her boyfriend a sidelong glance. Jounochi began to protest but stopped when he saw his sister begin to speak.  
  
"Yeah, at the moment he stormed off, he really did remind me of you." She said, looking seriously at her brother. He managed a smile, though if Honda had been negatively influenced by him, he would not like to think what he might be doing at the moment.  
  
"Well, after everyone is finished eating, I am guessing we should go look for him." Otogi stated plainly. "If his pride is as big as I think it is, he won't be coming back here without you two any time soon."   
  
"Sounds good to me." Mai responded, giving Jounochi a look that said "Say you will help."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Honda is my friend, and if something happens to him it will be my fault, especially if I have been a bad influence on him."   
  
Shizuka smiled. "This'll be great, it's like a big, human treasure hunt." Shizuka bobbed excitedly.  
  
Soon thereafter, shortly after the foursome bought four ice cream cones, they headed off to the nearest clothing store in which Honda might possibly be found.   
  
"Not here either," Honda breathed, as he left the third game shop in the mall. "Maybe I should just go back to the arcade, and hope they are there. So long as it isn't the food court. .Wherever they went, Jounochi and Mai had to be around the mall somewhere, and he knew it. He refused to believe, however, that they were in the food court with Otogi, smugly grinning at his victory. If he wanted to win Shizuka, he would have to do a far better job than he had done thus far, and it had to start soon, before Otogi got too far ahead.  
  
***  
  
"Mokuba." Cerulean eyes scanned the dim foliage for any sign of intruders. The wind blew the man's navy blue trenchcoat in all directions as he stood in front of his mansion. At the same spot where his little brother was taken a few hours ago. A few hours ago, and no sign of anything, not even a struggle, no fingerprints. Only a security tape, and his memory. Seto had been working in his study at that time, mindlessly poring over receipts, and bills while Mokuba played outside.  
  
"SETO! Help!" screamed a dark-haired boy as suited men grabbed a hold of him. Russet eyes flew about wildly attempting to catch a glimpse of his brother.   
  
"Shimatte!" cursed Seto as he swept through the tiled floors of his manor. Cobalt eyes grew wide as he saw his bodyguards in a heap by the front door. "MOKUBA!" he screamed as his the cries started to fade. 'Shit!' he thought. 'Phone or Mokuba? Phone or Mokuba?' Without a second thought he rushed outside, his attire flying behind him as he rushed through the garden toward the retreating cries. Suddenly, the cries disappeared. Seto Kaiba gradually slowed his pace, eyes darting around frantically for any sign of his little brother. He turned his head swiftly as a sharp bladed object whizzed past his head  
  
Seto ran his hands through his hair in frustration. What the fuck did they want? No money was mentioned. Only to start a tournament where each participant loses their most prized material possession when losing a duel, and a list of required participants. He growled low in his throat. This is utter insanity! Why the hell would these people even participate? He bent down and picked up the paper again, scanning over the list of names:  
  
Yugi Motou  
  
Katsuya Jounochi  
  
Kujaku Mai  
  
Insector Haga  
  
Bandit Keith  
  
Maxamilion Pegasus  
  
Ryouta Kajiki  
  
Espa Roba  
  
Dinosaur Ryuzaki  
  
*6 participants specially chosen will be attending this tournament  
  
**failure to follow these directions will result in the death of Mokuba, and a new target.  
  
Specific tournament rules are on the back, make sure that EACH contestant is familiar with the rules.  
  
We will await the announcement of the tournament.  
  
"…" Seto was dumbfounded. "This is insane" he muttered. "Pegasus? Bandit Keith?" Those people…who knows where they are now. He groaned. This is impossible! He reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. The sun had set about ten minutes ago and the skies were now filled with orange hues. Seto sighed before muttering, "Yami's gonna be here soon, I should get ready." He put away his pack of cigarettes as he disappeared back into his mansion, locking his worries away, like he did with every other thought.  
  
***  
  
"RINGRINGRING!"   
  
Pegasus blinked sullenly over his plate of macaroni and cheese. With a disgusted sigh, he threw his fork down on the table, blatantly ignoring the ringing phone. "Is there any point to living anymore?" he asked dejectedly, as his answering machine started to run.  
  
"Hello this is Maximilion Pegasus, I am not in at the moment, please leave a message leaving your name and phone number and I will try to respond back to you as soon as possible."  
  
"Maximilion Pegasus." A soft voice crackled through the speakers. "There is a way to revive Cecelia…" Pegasus froze, and turned slowly to the offending tape recorder. The voice continued methodically, "You'll find instructions taped to the front of your door. Follow them directly and exactly, if you wish to see Cecelia again."  
  
Pegasus howled and leapt for the phone. Picking it up he screamed desperately into the receiver. "WHO ARE YOU? HOW? WHY? WHO ARE YOU?" The only reply to his question was the sound of the dial tone.  
  
***  
  
"Mmmmm…Yami…" murmured Yugi as he snuggled up against his pillow. Long lashes furrowed gently as his brows wrinkled as a result from his dream.   
  
Yami glanced at his sleeping aibou before getting out of bed. Shaking his head gently, he moved the blankets to cover Yugi's small form. Sighing, he moved towards the door without looking back. The door shut gently behind him as Yami left the Game Shop.   
  
~End Episode 1~  
  
A/N: NEH NEH NEH! Gomen!!! We could not find Espa's Japanese name…or Keith's…or Pegasuseseses. ^_^ Pegasuseseses that's a cool word. Anyways, hopefully you guys enjoyed it enough to review…? Please?  
  
Ryou: For me? ^_^  
  
YES! REVIEW FOR RYOU! ^^  
  
Stay tuned for the next episode:   
  
Toxin –Release Date: 12/25  
  
Teaser: "No…" he muttered as he fingered the scarlet envelope in one hand, fingers toying with the slight opening. Carelessly, he dropped it, as a small card slid out, with the words "To My Esp" penned deliberately, with the small scrawls stretching across the paper as if the ink of the ball point pen had permanently disfigured it. Magenta eyes stared at the neat handwriting, as millions of thoughts flew through Espa's head, 'Why? Why now? Why show me your Ra be damned face now?"  
  
Eeks! What's going on here?!?!? Will Ryou and Malik ever regain what was somewhat sanity ^_^  
  
Pairings in the next eps: Whoooh. There's definitely gonna be some RyouxMalik action! And then some YugixYami, and whatever else we can toss up for yah ^_^. 


	2. ToXin

And the Sun Shall Set Once More  
  
By: Hyacinthus  
  
Rating: R  
  
A/N: WHEEEEEEEEE!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS Y'ALL!! AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS… MERRY CHRISTMAS!  
  
We'd like to thank a few people who reviewed! ^_______^  
  
Shadowdstarshine: Hahahahah Pegasuseseses, we have lots more Ryou for you this chapter  
  
Sutoriitoenzeru-Street Angel: W00t! TeeHee no changes need to be made! Much thanks!  
  
Becky: Hi Becky!!!!!! O.o You flatter us too much sometimes…but we love ya to death anyways!  
  
Chimmoku: Cliffy…! Hnnnh. I think we will! Hrr… wait for the action scenes ^^;; Thanks for the advice!  
  
Ame no Mizu: YAY! You reviewed! We LOOOOOOVE your fics XD You should update moremoremore! ^^;;  
  
For all you BakuraxRyou fans out there, it's coming! Just not in this chapter. TeeHee  
  
Chapter Couplings: RyouxMalik, IsisxShadi, SetoxYami, YamixYugi, EspaxSeto, RyuuzakixMalik  
  
Episode Two: Toxin  
  
Espa Roba gently brushed back teal locks, as he focused gently on the deck of cards in front of him. Closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, he directed his will towards the unmoving deck. Moments later, he opened his eyes and struck his hand out, deftly flipping over the top card.  
  
"The cause" he whispered. "The Lovers." He quickly flipped through the next few cards, laying them face up in a row as he went through each one and pointed at it, uttering short incomplete words as if it would help interpret the meaning behind such a story. "The Devil. Temptation. The Tower. Conflict. Judgement. Awakening. The Moon. Trouble." Turquoise bangs fell into his eyes as he read through the cards. As he sat, attempting to piece together the meaning he murmured hopefully, "Perhaps…Perhaps… Seto…"   
  
Sighing, he shook his hair out of his eyes, before standing up and walking over to the desk and pulling out a scarlet envelope and his deck. "No…" he muttered as he fingered the scarlet envelope in one hand, fingers toying with the slight opening. Carelessly, he dropped it, as a small card slid out, with the words "To My Esp" penned deliberately, with the small scrawls stretching across the paper as if the ink of the ball point pen had permanently disfigured it. Aquamarine eyes stared at the neat handwriting, as millions of thoughts flew through Espa's head, 'Why? Why now? Why show me your Ra be damned face now?" A crystalline tear crept down his face as he picked the invitation off the ground.   
  
Fingers shaking, he attempted several times to open the envelope before setting it back onto the table and sliding down onto the floor. His hands clutched his shirt as he sobbed, wet tears falling upon his hands, muttering "Seto..Seto..Seto.." repeatedly.   
  
He got up, and stumbled back to the table before drawing out a long quill from a nearby pencil case and began to write. "Dear Seto…"  
  
***  
  
"Eheheeheh. And with that I wipe out your remaining life points!" cackled Haga as he stood in front of his battle simulator. Opposite from his stand stood a life-sized projection of Yami no Yugi, head bowed in defeat.   
  
His pleasure of victory was cut short by a decorous voice from the doorway of the room. "Messr. Haga. A telegram from Seto Kaiba has arrived for you." Motioning for the butler to take his leave Insector Haga grumbled as he grabbed the note out of the butler's hands.   
  
"Seto Kaiba…eh?" Turning back to his prized machine, he selected his next holographic opponent. As the image of Seto Kaiba slowly began to materialize, Haga screamed "I'll squash you like the bug you are Kaiba! EEHEHEHEHEE!"  
  
  
  
***  
  
White hair billowed in the air as Ryou Bakura ran through the crowded hallways of the Ishtar residence. He swooped right, laughing joyously as he narrowly missed crashing into a priceless vase. Ryou's chocolate eyes sang with mirth as he bounced from wall to wall. Behind him, Malik Ishtar danced in circles while singing –albeit horribly out of tune- the lyrics of some long forgotten English ballad. Ryou giggled as Malik whizzed passed him- slamming directly into the wall. Isis, having heard the ruckus, came over to check what was going on. As she entered the room, the sight of Malik rubbing his nose with his head sporting a purple bruise and Ryou laughing so hard tears ran down his cheeks, she sighed in resignation before leaving.   
  
Malik laughed as his vision slowly swam back into place. "I liked it better when there was two Ryou's…" he whined.  
  
Ryou giggled as Malik gently groped his way up his slim body. "Stop it!" he protested between laughs as Malik began to lift his shirt up. "Not in the hallway!"  
  
"Why not? You didn't protest last time…" Malik purred, causing Ryou to flush a brilliant red.   
  
"Malik!" A sharp cry caused them to look up. Shadi stood there with his hands on his hips and a disapproving look on his face. "You're going to break your back doing that here, and then what would your sister say?"  
  
"She would probably say, That's my reserved spot! Pick another room!" shot back Malik with a grin. Shadi gaped at the reply, mouth moving up and down, but no audible sound coming forth.   
  
"What?" asked Malik innocently, with his hand doing something horribly indecent to Ryou's chest, eliciting a moan from the pale haired boy.   
  
"I don't think you should do that in here, Isis will not appreciate a mess in her newly cleaned halls." Shadi attempted to put on another stony mask, but it was quickly falling, as the intensity of Ryou's moans escalated.  
  
"Neh! Hahaha I got ya Shadi!" laughed Malik, beginning to lick on the edge of Ryou's ear.  
  
"Wha…?" asked Shadi, allowing confusion to mar his stony features.  
  
"Cleaning the halls is my job! Remember? I'm grounded up to fifty years in the after life for having sex in the middle of one of nee-chan's lectures to her middle school students."  
  
"Ahh yes, I had…forgotten." 'Fortunately for me.' He added on mentally as he recalled the bewildered looks on the children's faces as Malik and Ryou stumbled in half-naked, in the middle of Isis' discussion on multiplying fractions. Needless to say, Isis gave them all an earful, especially Shadi who was supposed to be making sure that Ryou and Malik weren't causing any mischief. It was the first time that Shadi discovered that Isis could talk for over an hour without taking a breath.  
  
"Yes! It was the first time I've ever seen anyone lecture without taking a breath for that long!" piped Ryou.  
  
"Yeah." Snickered Malik, "I was almost sure she was gonna lecture the whole month of February about how we had permanently mentally scarred the children."  
  
"Yea! She went on as if it was an insult to see us naked!" chortled Ryou, throwing Malik a wink.  
  
"Hahaha!" agreed Malik; "It's a privilege to look upon my nude form!"  
  
Shadi rolled his eyes and snorted which caused Malik to protest. "How about you continue this in your respective bedrooms?" he asked, face reverting back to its stony posture.  
  
"How about we don't tell Isis about your little magazines, and you leave us alone?" suggested Malik, fingers roaming over Ryou's body.  
  
Red faced, Shadi mumbled "Carry… on…" as he stumbled away from them.   
  
Grinning at his retreating back, Malik asked, "Shall we continue my pretty one?"  
  
"Pretty one…" panted Ryou, pupils dilating. "No…No…Where are you?" he murmured releasing his hands from Malik's shirt. "Pretty one…. Pretty one…" He muttered clasping his hands over his ears, as a faded scar began to burn on his back. Closing his eyes, he wrapped his arms around Malik once more before screaming "BAKURA!!!!! BAKURA!!!! Come back… come back…come back to me…"  
  
Tears came to his eyes as Malik gently patted Ryou on the back, running his hands down the smooth alabaster skin. "Hush Ryou, it'll be okay…"   
  
"Malik… that's what he called me…" growled Ryou as the scar on his back began to glow a pale gold. "That's what he called me… before that bastard took him away. I was his. His pretty one. HIS AND ONLY HIS!" Ryou rocked back and forth, faster and faster as he clutched Malik's hand for support. His chocolate eyes narrowed and began to shift to a reddish color. "I'll kill him!" screeched Ryou. "I'll kill that Ra be damned Pharaoh!" His loose shirt slid off his narrow shoulders as he began to shake violently, revealing a scarred body; years of self-abuse placed one upon the other. The small golden scar on his back began to grow, as did the harshness of his voice. Malik watched in fear as pain wracked his small lover.  
  
"Ryou?" he questioned inaudibly. "Oh shit… not again…" Malik crumpled to the floor as unshed tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes.  
  
Ryou groaned and began to shudder on the floor before going into pained convulsions, and Malik caught a glimpse of the old Ryou hidden behind angry chocolate eyes. He knelt down beside the white haired boy, and clutched Ryou's hand within his own. "You'll get through this one alright, Ryou-chan. It's not one of the really bad ones." He whispered as tears began to roll down his tanned face.  
  
Minutes later, Isis came rushing in, as great black wings began to tear themselves from Ryou's body. "Malik! Restrain him!" she called, as Malik rushed forward to and clutched Ryou from behind, as Isis began to chant in low Egyptian. "Go…Go…Go…" The wings gently began to retract into Ryou's body as the demon was slowly forced out, causing Ryou to scream, and tears to drop from the corner of Malik's eyes.   
  
"Ryou?" he whispered. "I'm here for you, love, I'm here for you. Live on, be strong, for me." He murmured as Ryou slipped into unconsciousness with a gentle smile on his face.  
  
Shadi came up from behind Isis, and gently rested his hand on her shoulder, "It'll be over soon, it's almost time. Malik, you can set him in his room."  
  
Sniffling, Malik shuffled out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Isis threw herself at Shadi, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. "What… What happens when that happens to Malik? What'll happen? What do we do?"  
  
"Hush, Hush…" murmured Shadi, running his fingers through Isis' long raven hair. "Breathe, Isis. We'll get through this."  
  
"But…but what about…" she gesticulated at the spot where Ryou and Malik were standing, just minutes ago.  
  
Shaking his head, "It's up to Ra. Entirely up to Ra."  
  
"I don't give a fuck about Ra!" Screeched Isis. "I need to know that my brother will be safe! I need to know that Ryou will be safe!"   
  
"It's almost time Isis, just keep that in mind. It's almost time, almost time to see if Ra is with us."  
  
Upstairs, Malik gently set Ryou onto the wide bed, running his hands through Ryou's pale hair. "Bakura…you better take good care of him." He growled as he bent down give Ryou a soft chaste kiss. Sweat formed in beads on Ryou's tightly knitted brow as he began to moan quietly. "Ryou…?" asked Malik tentatively.   
  
  
  
"Bakura…"   
  
  
  
"Oh Ryou…" breathed Malik, hot breath sliding over Ryou's pale anxious face.   
  
  
  
"Ma..Malik?" asked Ryou, tears blurring his vision as he struggled to open his eyes. "Malik…I miss Bakura…"  
  
  
  
"I know. I know." Replied Malik, crawling into bed and pulling Ryou close.  
  
  
  
"Are we really going to get him back?" asked Ryou softly.  
  
  
  
"Really Really." Said Malik, sliding his arms up Ryou's shirt.  
  
  
  
"Are we really going to go back to Japan soon?" questioned Ryou pressing harder against Malik, sliding their bodies together and causing Malik to moan at the friction.  
  
  
  
"Really Really."   
  
  
  
"We should send a letter to Yugi…" commented Ryou, sliding his hand around Malik's thin waist.  
  
  
  
"We will, in a due time." Malik replied, pulling the blanket over himself and Ryou.  
  
***  
  
  
  
Growling, and roughly pushing his blonde locks out of his face, a man pulled out a long dagger and began to advance on the screaming woman. His red white and blue bandana hung loosely around his forehead as he began to slowly lick the knife, grinning in anticipation of what was to come.  
  
  
  
"Help! Help! Anyone Help me Please!" begged the woman in vain, slowly sinking against the brick wall. As she spoke, hundreds of letters flooded from the top of a nearby building. On each card, in small printed calligraphy, read Bandit Keith. Keith stood, distracted by this sudden onslaught of cards before snatching one out of the air, and ripping it open.   
  
As he read through the contents, his grin widened, "Seto Kaiba ehh? Interesting proposal, I'll see you in hell…" When he tuned back into reality, the disappearing sounds of footsteps reminded him that he had lost his quarry. "Fuck it…"  
  
***  
  
Seto sat, as night fell, his mouth chewing nervously on the end of a small cigarette. "Mokuba…" he muttered gently unclasping the small card on his necklace and flipping it open. "I've really blown it this time." He leaned his hand over the side of the small plush armchair, gently holding a decanter in his free hand. Setting the decanter on the desk, he picked up a small box on the edge of the coffee table. Opening it, he found the two initials S and E engraved in the band of a small ring while a topaz grinned at him from the center. "Esp… My Esp. I've messed things up with you too haven't I? I've messed things up with everyone…" he whispered as he sunk down further into the soft chair.   
  
  
  
A knocking on the mahogany door, drew him out of his misery as he stood up, brushing his hands off on his pants, and putting out the cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "Who is it?" called Seto, eyes locked on the brass handle.  
  
  
  
"It's me…Yami no Yugi."  
  
  
  
"You're late." Shot Seto flatly.  
  
  
  
"Better late than never!" grinned Yami, shooting Seto an infectious smile, as he swung the door open.  
  
  
  
"You've been hanging around that midget other of yours for too long…and close the God damned door, it's cold."  
  
  
  
"Hrr, you've never complained before…"  
  
"Well, now I'm kind of hoping you'd warm me up." replied Seto, giving Yami a thin lipped smile.  
  
  
  
"Always, Seto. Always, all you have to do is ask…"  
  
Meanwhile, Yugi moaned and stretched in his large double bed, hugging a pillow tightly to his small frame, before moaning Yami's name quietly.  
  
Morning found the Motou residence, with Yugi lying tousled in bed, tossing and turning with a sense of foreboding. As he slowly awoke, the sound of eggs sizzling in the background comforted him. "Heh" he chuckled to himself "I hope Yami realizes that when the eggs are black it means they're overcooked."  
  
  
  
Moments later, he heard Yami call, "Aibou? Are you awake yet?"  
  
  
  
"Hai!" he called back. "Is anything wrong?"  
  
  
  
"Nah," called Yami. "It's just that…these black eggs taste funny."   
  
Seto Kaiba awoke to a cold bed, covered in only a thin linen sheet. His hand moved down to the locket on his necklace. "Mokuba… I'll find you." He promised as he dressed.   
  
***  
  
  
  
Ryou sat in the cold room, drawing his arms around himself with a blank paper lying in front of him. As he sat chewing the end of his pen, Malik poked his head from around the corner before asking, "Ryou, love, have you finished the letter to Yugi yet?"  
  
  
  
"No…I don't know what to write."   
  
  
  
"Hmm, well tell him that we'll be dropping by sometime in the next week. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear it."  
  
  
  
"Okay! Will do." Ryou hurriedly scribbled a note before shoving it into a small white envelope and addressing it to the Motou residence.   
  
  
  
"Now are you done?" asked Malik as he came up behind Ryou and drew his arms around the white haired boy in a tight embrace.   
  
  
  
"Mmhmm." Replied Ryou as he rested his head gently on Malik's collarbone. "Do you miss him? Your Yami, I mean."  
  
  
  
"Well…I'm not sure. He did uhhh kill me." Joked Malik, kissing Ryou on the forehead.  
  
  
  
"Yea, but he did go back to get you afterwards." Giggled Ryou.  
  
  
  
"That was only after Bakura threatened to kill him…again!"   
  
  
  
"HnnH Malik?" asked Ryou softly, his snowy white hair falling into his eyes.   
  
  
  
"Yea, love?"   
  
  
  
"I think…your Yami, really liked you." Ryou blew the hair out of his eyes, causing them to float gingerly to frame his elfin face.  
  
  
  
"Liked me enough to kill me?" responded Malik sarcastically.   
  
  
  
"I think…that we all hide secrets, and I think that you should give him time."  
  
  
  
Malik sighed into Ryou's hair, "I know, but it's hard for me."  
  
  
  
Ryou nodded before sealing the envelope and pressing it into Malik's hands. "Can you ask your sister to send this to the Motou residence for me?"   
  
  
  
"Sure. First thing in the morning. We should rest, tomorrow's gonna be a big day."  
  
  
  
"Isn't every day?" commented Ryou wryly, "but I suppose you're right…"  
  
  
  
"Like always!" Malik finished.  
  
  
  
Ryou snorted as the two boys walked off to bed.  
  
***  
  
"HaiHai. Whatever." Replied Ryuuzaki as he slammed the receiver down on the phone…HARD. He growled as he fingered a small envelope in one hand tossing it in the air before catching it again. "Baka Hiroto." He snorted as he kicked the table leg. "What does he take me for? An idiot?" Ryuuzaki sighed as he ran his fingers through the ends of his long brown hair, once wild, now tamed. The hair fell behind him and hung over the edge of the chair in long waves.   
  
"Damnit." He growled as he clenched the card in one hand. "We've all changed a lot. All of us. Except for that son of a bitch Haga." His mind wandered; no doubt Haga would have been invited, but who else? Had he…? Ryuuzaki shook his head, shaking away images of a platinum blonde, with beautiful purple eyes. "Those eyes…" he muttered as he pulled his deck out of his pocket and began to shuffle it. "Those hauntingly beautiful eyes."  
  
  
  
As his hands felt the familiar chill of his deck, he calmed down a trifle. Bright brown eyes, stared out from behind a cowboy hat. It had been awhile since he had ditched the beanie, yet, he stilled enjoyed a covering over his head. Creating a sense of security, a hat had stood poised on Ryuuzaki's head for as long as he could remember.   
  
Reaching up and touching the edge, he muttered "I sure look like Jou's sister. No wonder Hiroto keeps hitting on me." The edges of his eyes softened as he pulled out the pictures he had take at Battle City. There weren't many friends he had left. Espa was the only one that truly visited often. Yugi and co. have been wary of him ever since he had challenged Jou. "Boy was I a fool for underestimating that kid."  
  
  
  
Throughout the years he had lived alone, and maintained a more careful maintenance of his appearance, hoping that a certain platinum haired beauty would catch on. Yes, I have changed a lot, thought Ryuuzaki sorting through the pictures. "I was so immature, I couldn't see, none of us could, not Espa or me." His eyes blurred from tears at the pictures of the finalists. Namu, he called himself. Malik, the world called him.   
  
He picked up the phone and prepared to call Espa, Espa would know, Espa always knew. He sighed as he remembered all the lonely nights they've cried in each other's arms, wishing for selfish silly loves. "The vows that Espa had exchanged with Seto," growled Ryuuzaki, "That bastard broke them." Ryuuzaki shook his head, dialing Espa's number he made up his mind, he would see that pair of beautiful violet again, and he would show them how much he's changed.  
  
***  
  
Yugi Motou yawned as he scribbled down the last bit of his history homework and shut the book. Shoving the detested object into his backpack with a sneer of disdain, he reached for his planner to check what homework he had left. Ever since his stupid history teacher had moved on to the history of Japan, things hadn't been as easy, and he actually had to study for once. Glancing at his planner, he slowly checked off the many assignments he had finished. Releasing a breath of relief, he was glad to see that all of his homework was finally complete. It was a miracle, considering history was his worse subject, not to mention Yami couldn't help him with it anymore. Sliding all of his books into his backpack, he made sure he'd be ready for school the next morning, then glanced around the room.  
  
  
  
"Yami?" He called quietly. His voice had long since lost its high, mirthfully childish chirp, and now rang with the deepening tones of adolescence. "Yami?" He called again, more loudly as he made his way down the hall to their humble living room. "You there?" Making his way to the kitchen, he saw that he was quite certainly alone. "Must be out picking up groceries, or checking out some card at the game shops." The mumbled words were a comfort to his solitary form.   
  
  
  
Pawing through the fridge, a grimace appeared on his teenage face as he pulled out some stale milk and rotten eggs. Heading to garbage dumpsters in their side yard, he grabbed the mail, rifling through the mounds of junk. Dumping the waste and spoiled food into the appropriate receptacle, his eyes caught the bright flash of a scarlet envelope's silver seal in the setting sun's light. As if by its own will, it fluttered to the side, landing by his feet. Perplexed by its appearance, he reached down, fingers brushing its satin edge as he gently picked it up. Running his fingers over the glowing silver waxen seal, he read the initials "SeKa", hesitating before quickly flipping the envelope over. A chill ran down his back as he read the words "To Yugi Motou," written in elaborate black script. Quickly breaking the seal, he flipped it open, quickly reading its contents. The clouds were a light ash-gray, highlighted orange and pink by the setting sun. Leaning in the doorframe, Yugi sighed, momentarily pausing to appreciate the sunset. The letter hung limply in his firm grasp.   
  
  
  
Before he had loved sunsets, they were wonderful, and he never disliked their romantic feel, the flourishing colors reminding him of the blooming love and friendship all around him. However, now the sight of it only stirred discomfort within him, doubt growing stronger, and flaws more glaringly apparent. How was it that something so wondrous and beautiful could be so easily, and senselessly perverse? The cold wind forced a shiver to shake his still thin frame, and blew his hair about his face.  
  
  
  
"I don't deserve him," a harsh whisper escaped his lips. "I don't deserve him, not this wretch of a," his voice cracked, oddly muffled by the wind. Choking on his words, he gritted his teeth. Eyes shut tightly, the tears threatened to fall unbidden, as he struggled to hold them back. 'I'm so unworthy, he's far too good for a coward like me,' the thoughts echoed in his head. 'Hell, I won't even let him touch me! What good is that for as long as we've been together?' Though holding them in, the sobs wracked his body, shaking a few strangled cries through his gritted teeth.   
  
  
  
"Stop," he managed. "Stop it, this won't do you or Yami any good and you know it." He quietly told himself, bringing the sudden swell of emotions under control as best as he could. "Since when did being an over-emotional bastard ever help anyone anyway?" He muttered to himself, wiping at tears that had not fallen. 'Besides, Yami probably will be home soon, don't want him to find me like this, right?' Having just completed that thought, he heard the front door being unlocked, and the familiar voice of his Yami warmed his heart.  
  
  
  
"Koibito?" A ruffled of some thick paper. "Where are ya?"  
  
  
  
Quickly banishing any remaining doubts, Yugi went back into the house and to the living room, where he found Yami closing the door.   
  
***  
  
A/N: It was a little short this time, but next time it shall be much longer! ^_^ Longer than the first chapter in fact because umm, we had a bit of a miscommunication problem so the next installment will have parts that this installment was s'posed to have ^^;;   
  
Review! Review!  
  
Psst. Tell me what you think of the EspaxSeto and RyuuzakixMalik… 


	3. Ad Astra Per Aspera

And the Sun Shall Set Once More  
  
By: Hyacinthus  
  
Rating: R  
  
A/N: WHEEEEEEEEE!!! HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Tis THE YEAR OF THE MOOOOOOONKEY! W00t!   
  
Much thanks to our reviewers!  
  
Adrie: SQUEE! ^______^ We try!  
  
rain-streaked: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Crimson! Hehe We hopes it was betttttter Hehehe  
  
Chimmoku: YupsYups YAY! Getting better! Here's more ^____^  
  
Impish Pixie: hahah Lemon.. hmm.. we'll think bout it ^_^ Do you wanna lemon? Hehehe  
  
*gives a cookie to all reviewers*  
  
OMG It's here! THE RYOUxBAKURA Is here! YAY! *cheers* *cheers*  
  
Chapter Couplings: RyouxBakura, EspaxSeto   
  
Episode Three: Ad Astra Per Aspera  
  
Silence filled the air complementing the tense atmosphere about the green haired beauty. The only sounds on the bus as it rocked from side to side were the occasional taps of the leather shoes that belonged to the man sitting opposite the boy. The man glanced around in impatience and began to mutter under his breath, "Oh God. I'm gonna be late."   
  
  
  
Without opening an eye, the boy flashed a grin, replying "I don't think you need to worry about that sir, because your stop is next. Good luck at your meeting." The man turned pale at the mention of the meeting before looking at the bus schedule and realizing that the boy was indeed right about the stop. "See, what did I tell you?" a voice rang from behind the man, and he turned to come face to face with a thin lipped smile, hauntingly sad as the boy's eyes began to crack open, revealing shimmering pools of violet.  
  
  
  
"T-thank You." Stammered the man, clearly in shock. His hands twisted around the handle of his suitcase nervously, and as his grip strengthened his knuckles began to pale.   
  
  
  
The intercom broke the tension with a metallic voice; "We are arriving at Domino Station. Please make your way to the exits located on both sides of the bus."   
  
  
  
The man anxiously made his way to the outlets, keenly aware of the boys stare boring into his back. As he left he heard the soft voice of the boy call out "It was nice meeting you. The name is Espa Roba."  
  
  
  
Espa closed his eyes again, as the bus began to move, lulling back into its gentle rocking. The seat was hard and unfamiliar beneath his bottom and he shifted uncomfortably several times, before finally giving up and turning onto his side. When the bus jumped in response to a bump in the road Espa's hand flew to the deck in his pocket. He pulled it out, tossing his hair out of his eyes with a casual flick. 'Long hair is such a pain' he thought as he began to flip through the deck. His hand faltered when he reached a card near the end of the deck. "The Judgeman" he whispered as tears began to form at the corner of his eyes. Shaking them loose, he took the Judgeman out of the deck, before placing the deck back into his pocket.  
  
  
  
Espa giggled slightly before tilting his head back and letting out soft chuckles as he held The Judgeman. It had been a bright spring day several years ago…  
  
  
  
"C'mon 'Kuba-chan!" yelled Espa as he ran, a Blue Eyes clutched between thin fingers. In the distance, a roar could be heard, as Mokuba struggled to keep up with the taller youth.   
  
  
  
"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY BLUE EYES?!?!?"   
  
  
  
"C'mon Mokuba, let's hide in here." Whispered Espa when Mokuba caught up. Sweat had plastered Mokuba's long black hair to his face causing him to look like a recent marathon winner. Espa gently brushed them out of the way, before pulling Mokuba into a nearby bush. Minutes later, Seto Kaiba came running into the garden looking very irritated and disheveled.   
  
  
  
"I know you're in here!" Shouted Kaiba, oblivious to the snickers in the bush behind him.   
  
  
  
"Do you think he'll find us?" whispered Mokuba to the green haired adolescent crouching to his right.  
  
  
  
"I'm not sure. He's never found us before." Replied Espa.  
  
  
  
"Heehehe" Giggled Mokuba, before realizing his mistake.   
  
  
  
Seto turned his head toward the sound, causing the sunlight to catch the beads of sweat running down the side of a tanned face. Like his brother, his hair was also plastered onto the side of his face, but instead of making it look like he was hot and uncomfortable, the hair made it look like the older Kaiba was caught doing something inappropriate and didn't have time to straighten himself up. "Mokuba! I know you're there!" Cerulean eyes glanced at the scene before him as Seto gave his infamous death glare to all the nearby bushes, hoping that he could scare his brother and lover into giving up, and coming out.   
  
  
  
When Seto turned his back. Mokuba whispered quietly to Espa, "Will you stay with us forever?"  
  
  
  
"I hope so, 'Kuba-chan. I hope so." Minutes later, the top of the bushes parted and the boys found themselves staring down the richest man in Japan.   
  
  
  
"Eheh heh oops?" remarked Mokuba as he gave up the Blue Eyes card.   
  
  
  
Seto sighed as Mokuba and Espa crawled out of the bushes. Ushering Mokuba back into the house, he turned to Espa and told him seriously "If you want any card, all you have to do is ask." Espa shook his head before hugging Seto tightly, causing Seto to smile lightly. Moments later, Seto gently kissed Espa's forehead before bringing grabbing Espa's hand with his own and placing a card within. "I'll let you be the judge." He remarked before throwing Espa a wink and walking back into the mansion, leaving a completely bewildered Espa. Opening his hand he found the Judgeman card along with a small silver ring, and a small note:   
  
  
  
"Will you be mine?"  
  
A jolt from the bus threw Espa forward, and launched him from his thoughts. "Now arriving at Domino Plaza." Muttered the intercom in the same metallic monotonous voice. "Please make your way to the exits located on both sides of the bus." Getting up, Espa made his way to the left exit, and as he hopped off the bus, he stuffed the Judgeman back into his pocket and muttered "I'm coming back Seto. I'm coming back."  
  
  
  
As Espa crawled out of the crowd leaving the metro, his eyes caught sight of a familiar limousine. The effulgent black exterior reflected the bright glare of the sun as the car sat there, the very epitome of money and power. The tinted windows smirked at the crowd, daring them to attempt to uncover what lay hidden behind. Espa was edging his way towards the limo when he saw a familiar face standing beside the forbidding vehicle. "Riff!" he shouted, as a tall man with light blonder hair turned at the sound coming from the ecstatic youth. As Riff turned the sun caught onto his hair creating the illusion of a bright halo swaying through golden wisps.  
  
  
  
"Master Roba!" exclaimed Riff as he shot Espa a grin. "I was afraid I was going to have to enter that turmoil to find you."   
  
  
  
"I take it you are here for me then?" asked Espa, arching a slender eyebrow.  
  
  
  
"But, of course. Who else would Master Kaiba trust to pick you up?" Espa giggled as Riff opened the back door and ushered him in. The interior of the limo was, if possible, better than the exterior, velvet cushions lined the walls of the cars and a small entertainment unit was propped up against the back. As soon as Espa was safely in the car, Riff slammed the door behind him and made his way to the driver's seat. Getting in, he stuck the key into the ignition and was about to start the car when he heard a sharp rap on the window behind his seat.  
  
  
  
When Riff rolled it down, Espa rested his head against the top as he peered out of the windshield at the passing cars. "So, how's Count Hargreaves?" Espa asked Riff throwing him a suggestive wink, causing the blonde bodyguard to blush madly.  
  
  
  
"He is doing very well." Stammered Riff.  
  
  
  
"Would this be before or after the uhhh.. you know.?" Questioned the green haired boy with a playful smirk adorned on his face. Espa socked Riff's arm playfully, narrowly missing causing a destructive four-lane car accident. Riff'' face was beet red as he muttered to himself ignoring the question as Espa settled down to nap. Closing his eyes he called out "Love ya too Riff, gonna take a nap now."  
  
  
  
"Of course Master Roba." Came the stony reply.  
  
  
  
Espa sighed. "How many times do I gotta tell ya Riff, just Esp or Espa is fine. You make me feel like a stuffy old man."  
  
  
  
Riff snorted in the driver's seat causing Espa to laugh. Giving up his nap, Espa sat up in the seat and asked, "Hey Riff, do you remember when we had that ice cream party in this limo?"  
  
  
  
"The one where Master Kaiba chewed me out and almost fired me for?" replied Riff dryly.  
  
  
  
"Umm Oops?" Espa looked through the open window separating the driver and passengers, eyes sparkling with laughter. "I've missed the feel of this limo Riff."  
  
  
  
Riff laughed, "You mean you miss the feel of Master Kaiba fucking you into the velvet seats."  
  
  
  
"Well.. that too."  
  
***  
  
Ryou paced relentlessly across the tiled floors, hair cascading behind his back. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you so much 'Kura," he whispered, clutching fistfuls of his loose shirt. Looking up at the wall Ryou glanced at the window and watched as Bakura trimmed the rosebushes outside the Ishtar residence. Feeling someone else's stare, Yami no Bakura looked up and gave Ryou a small smile and mouthed the words 'I love you' before going back to his work. "B-Bakura?" stuttered Ryou. Ryou watched as a small bird landed on Bakura's hair and began to peck at his unruly hair. Walking closer to the windowpane Ryou slid it open and crawled out as Bakura waved his hands through the air, fighting off the large avian.  
  
"RYOU!" yelled Bakura, "GET YOUR SKINNY ASS OVER HERE AND HELP ME GET RID OF THIS RA-DAMNED PEST!"   
  
  
  
Ryou giggled as his eyes shone with happiness, "Comin 'KURA!". Ryou ran across the lawn and threw his arms around his Yami, causing Bakura to give an uncharacteristic squawk and the bird to fly away. "I've missed you so much. Don't ever ever leave me again." He whispered into Bakura's ear.  
  
  
  
"HaiHai!" replied Bakura, "I will never leave you again hikari."  
  
  
  
"Hey 'Kura?"  
  
  
  
"Yea tenshi?"  
  
  
  
"Can we have a pillow fight? Just like last time?"  
  
  
  
"HaiHai Ryou. We can have a pillow fight. Just like last time."  
  
  
  
"What in Ra's name is this thing?" growled Bakura, poking at Ryou's pillow.   
  
  
  
"It's just a pillow Bakura." The object in question was soft with bright pink frills decorating the edges, and a huge white lily embroidered on the center.   
  
  
  
"That is no pillow… that is…an object of extreme evil." Bakura poked at the pillow nervously with a finger. "How…do you sleep on that thing?"  
  
  
  
"Easy! I put my head down and close my eyes." Replied Ryou, eliciting a scowl from Bakura. "That scowl is so unbecoming 'Kura." Ryou smacked Bakura over the head with the frilly pillow causing him to yelp and cover his head.  
  
  
  
"Don't let that ..that THING touch me" Bakura shuddered as Ryou grinned before whacking him again with the soft fluffy cushion.   
  
  
  
Ryou giggled before whacking him again. "Pillow fight! Pillow fight!" he squeaked.   
  
Bakura snarled, "I'll give you a pillow fight!" Grabbing the nearest pillow he proceeded to bonk Ryou over the head with it as hard as he could. Ryou giggled as the soft pillow flopped around his head.   
  
  
  
"Nyah Nyah. The great tomb robber ain't so great now is he?" teased Ryou.   
  
  
  
"Why you little!" roared Bakura, grabbing multiple pillows and attempting to club Ryou to death with them, with no damage done at all. Ryou laughed at Bakura's antics before crawling up close and kissing him gently, catching Bakura off guard. Bakura moaned softly into the kiss as his arms went around to hold his hikari. Ryou grinned and as Bakura was distracted swung the frilly pink pillow around and clubbed Bakura on the side of the head causing him to lose balance and fall off the queen sized bed.   
  
"Tsk Tsk. So easily distracted," he admonished softly , "I'm surprised you made it through all those tombs unscathed."  
  
  
  
Bakura grumbled, "Well, back in Egypt we didn't have random pretty boys wandering around in the crypts now did we?" Ryou laughed as he helped Bakura back atop the bed, but quickly regretted it as Bakura spun around and began to tickle Ryou sliding his hands up Ryou's shirt.   
  
  
  
Ryou giggled before smacking Bakura over the head with the pink pillow. "Pervert."  
  
  
  
Bakura growled and armed himself with the remaining pillows on the bed, as he leapt from one end of the bed to the other, intent on tackling Ryou. Unfortunately, he didn't foresee Ryou ducking at the last second and he found himself holding on to empty air and flying over the side of the bed.  
  
  
  
Ryou laughed so hard that he began to hiccup. "With skills like that, how are you supposed to protect me?" he hiccuped.  
  
  
  
Bakura groaned before wrapping the pillow around his head and flouncing back atop the bed. "You're impossible. I want to go to sleep so stop your bouncing."  
  
  
  
Ryou grinned and leaned down and kissed Bakura on the forehead. "G'night Yami."  
  
  
  
He was met with silence and his eyes glanced down at the huddled figure forlornly before he got off the bed to go turn off the light. As he flipped the switch off, and got back into the bed, he heard a soft whisper hang in the room. "G'night Ryou."  
  
  
  
Sighing with happiness he wrapped his arms around his unresponsive Yami and pressed his face into Bakura's soft locks. "I love you Bakura…"  
  
  
  
"Ryou?"   
  
  
  
Gently opening his eyes, the white haired boy glanced about him in confusion. Everything was very hazy and he struggled to speak, "'Kura? Kura, is that you?"  
  
  
  
"Ryou…"   
  
  
  
As Ryou's visions swam into focus he saw the concerned face of Malik and he squinted hard. "Where's Bakura?"  
  
  
  
"Ryou, it was dream." Malik whispered softly, placing a hand on Ryou's trembling shoulder.   
  
  
  
"B-But…he was just outside!" shouted Ryou, pointing frantically to the nearest window.   
  
  
  
Malik was glancing at Ryou worriedly when Isis turned around and replied, "Ryou. Look outside the window, we're flying in the air back to Japan. Remember?"   
  
  
  
Ryou glanced at the unfamiliar gray surroundings of the airplane cabin before glancing at the window that he was pointing at earlier. "I-I'm sorry." He muttered.  
  
  
  
Isis sighed. Turning to Shadi she asked, "When are we arriving in Japan."  
  
  
  
"In about two hours." The stony faced man replied. Isis shrugged and sank into her seat, headphones over her ears.  
  
  
  
Ryou glanced over at Malik who was currently asking the nearby flight attendant for a drink, while the attendant raked her eyes over Malik's toned body hungrily. Ryou sighed and turned over, sleep overtaking his weary body.  
  
***  
  
Bright sunlight reflected off green hair to form a slight halo. Unfortunately, that halo did not quite belong on the head of Insector Haga. The bright green hair of the 21 year old bounced as he laughed, already playing out the scenes of his victory within his own mind. After the disappearance of the majority of his greatest rivals, save Yugi Motou and Seto Kaiba, Haga had become one of the elite duelists of the world and thus, enjoyed traveling like one. His sleek white limousine cruised through the seats of Domino City as he drove towards the arranged meeting arena. Supposedly they would all crash at the Kaiba mansion, according to the letter. Then Haga, could experience the life as one of the top three duelists in the world. Ahh yes, life was sweet.  
  
  
  
"Master Haga?" A voice from the front interrupted Haga's thoughts.  
  
  
  
"Damnit, Croquet, how many times have I told you about interrupting me when I am gloating?" sneered Insector, shuffling his deck in annoyance.  
  
  
  
"Many pardons, Master Haga, I am informing you of our arrival at the front gate of the Kaiba Mansion."   
  
  
  
Haga scowled before replying, "Well why the hell are you not opening the door? You don't honestly expect ME to do it…"  
  
  
  
Moments later the door swung open and Haga squinted at the glare of the bright light flooding the interior of the limo. Hopping out, he glanced about. Behind the Kaiba mansion, he could see the tips of a dueling arena that Kaiba had recently constructed.   
  
  
  
"Sugoi…" he breathed, "This mansion is huge. It's fucking awesome."  
  
  
  
In front of the door stood a muscled man, sneering defiantly over the limo. "Master Kaiba has been expecting you." As he spoke the large iron gates began to slowly creak open, revealing a long narrow path that led up to the side of the Kaiba mansion.  
  
  
  
Haga stooped back into the car, glaring at the bold guard. After he was safely inside, he pressed the intercom and asked, "Who is that man standing outside of the Kaiba Mansion gates?"  
  
  
  
"Shuuhei sir. His name is Shuuhei."  
  
  
  
"Shuuhei eh? Well as soon as I finish talking with Kaiba Shuuhei will be on the streets, let's see how disobedient he'll be then! Ignorant fools should learn their places in the world, right, Croquet?"   
  
  
  
"Indeed, Master Haga."   
  
  
  
"Good." The white limousine slowly drove up the gravel path toward the Kaiba mansion.  
  
***  
  
  
  
  
  
"American Airlines Flight 996 for Tokyo departing now."   
  
  
  
A young white haired man glanced up from the newspaper he was reading and checked his shirt pocket for the plane tickets. After securing their location he got up, and walked solemnly toward the gate, leaving the newspaper folded atop the seat.   
  
  
  
"My..My… if it isn't the infamous Pegasus." A voice drawled, causing Pegasus to turn around abruptly.  
  
  
  
"Keith." He spat, face twisting in disgust. "What are you doing here?"  
  
  
  
"I could ask you the same question." Retorted Keith.  
  
  
  
A shade of Pegasus' former self surfaced as he noticed Keith's nervous energy. "TskTsk. I'm here because I was invited to some competition which Yugi-boy will be attending."  
  
  
  
"The shrimp. Heh. I would have thought you were done with your short fetish by now Pegasus, you were obsessed with him back in Duelist Kingdom, have you not changed over the years?"  
  
  
  
Pegasus raised a silver eyebrow in amusement. "Now Now Keith, don't speak about matters that you don't understand, let us try to be civil with each other until we reach the dueling arena, shall we?"  
  
  
  
Keith snarled and stalked off in the direction of the plane, leaving a smiling Pegasus standing in the middle of the airport terminal, a maniacal glint in his eye.  
  
***  
  
Mai Kujaku shrugged off her coat and dropped it neatly upon the side of the couch. Hooking her fingers into the backs of her shoes, she pulled off her heels and placed them in her closet. The tick of the clock and distant bark of her neighbor's dog echoed hollowly in her small flat. The one story house had a kitchen, single bathroom, living room, an office, and bedroom. I guess I did pretty well for myself, getting a little place like this, she thought as she walked back to her front step to gather the mail she had forgotten in her front entryway.  
  
  
  
On her porch, if one could call the three-by-four block of cement with a step half its height in front by that title, there was a small black box with a metal-hinged lid. The lid creaked in an awful, pain-inducing manner, but she couldn't quite place what it was that it reminded her of. Carefully pulling up the lid, she slowly peeked over the rim to see what contents lay in wait, silently wishing for anything other than junk mail. Slipping the bundle of mail out of the nondescript box, she held it tightly in her left hand, quickly returning to her abode. Dull. Life was nothing more than a routine, scheduled so predictably that it wasn't even funny.   
  
  
  
Funny, life use to be so 'funny' that she would never seem to know where her 'friends' would whisk her off to next. One moment she would be wandering around Domino City campus after school with nothing to do, when suddenly that tricolor-haired midget would race by, followed by Jou, who would promptly pull her in pursuit of the said midget, and next thing she knew they were on a train to the latest duelist's tournament, or convention, etcetera, etcetera.   
  
  
  
Moving over to her dresser, she pulled open a drawer, extracting from it a small red box. Going back to the living room, she sat at the dining room table, setting the mail down before her, and the red box to her right. Allowing herself a reprieve from her thoughts, she turned her attention to the mail.  
  
  
  
"'Domino City High School Alumni Program.' God, how many times do I have to tell them I'm not interested? " She muttered, tearing the envelope in half. "It's not like I'm rich beyond excess like that Kaiba." Looking at the pile of probable garbage, she got up and dragged the small, wire wastebasket over next to her chair. Settling back into place, she brushed back a few stray hairs, and resumed the task at hand. She had barely begun to pick up the next envelope when the doorbell rang. "Who the-," she began, standing, and heading to the door. She opened her door, flipping on the porch light as well. "Oh god no."  
  
  
  
Outside her home, on the front porch was her god sent friend, Jenny. More specifically, a small, shriveled, geriatric, whom felt that it was her duty to come bang on her neighbor's door at odd hours of the night, then proceed to ramble about the "good lord" and all of his "blessings" he bestowed upon his followers. That's right, her own, personal Jehovah's Witness.   
  
  
  
"Why hello there May," the elderly woman creaked from her throat. Mai grimaced, suddenly realizing the voice had reminded her of the creak of her mailbox.  
  
  
  
"Eh, hello Jenny, what can I do for you today?" Mai asked politely. "Is something the matter?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, no, no," cackled the creaking voice, "I just wanted to come by and chat a little. You see I have some lovely literature, and it just suits a young woman like you." She said, beaming up at Mai.  
  
  
  
"Oh, well thanks, but now's not the most ideal time, and, well," she fumbled for a good excuse, though at nine at night one shouldn't be necessary. "I'm kind of in the middle of making dinner," she explained. It was a long shot, microwave meals taking five minutes to make. The best she could do was hope Jenny was gone before she heard the telltale beep.   
  
  
  
A look of disappointment crossed Jenny's face. "Oh, that's really too bad," she said, eyes beginning to turn downward.  
  
  
  
"But, I mean, maybe another day we could have lunch together," Mai burst.  
  
  
  
The disappointment quickly turned to bright, happy joy. "Oh dearie, that would be absolutely lovely! We must do that sometime." The old woman beamed once more. Dear lord, why did I say that, Mai thought. "Oh, but before I go, remember to take a look at that literature, it really does suit a young lady like yourself," she piped up, pointing excitedly at the pamphlets and mini-magazines she was holding toward Mai, who accepted them, and assured her she would do so.   
  
  
  
After the retirement home escapee had left the vicinity, Mai headed back into her dining room, and returned to her seat. Why had she said such a thing? Though she didn't want to admit it, she knew deep inside herself, that maybe that old lady came, not because the church pressured her to, but because she wanted to talk, and there was no one else. Maybe it was because that old woman had no family, and she was all alone, as she had once been. Man, would Honda and Katsuya laugh if they saw her in that pathetic scene.   
  
  
  
Turning her attention back to the mail, Mai briefly looked over the pamphlets, noting they were basically high school health class materials. The reading material mainly discussed the dangers of pre-marital sex, as though explaining it to virgins, and how god advised against such actions. It was as though they were making it sound like the guy would force themselves on them. Mai snickered before dumping it in the wastebasket. If anyone were going to instigate such actions in her relationship, it would be her. Jounochi was far from the aggressive type, a decent, polite guy, contrary to his attempts to look tough. She smiled at the memory of his tomato-red blush when she first kissed him, on the cheek no less. He'd obviously gotten better, kissing her on occasion, but going no further. And she thinks he's going to make a move on me, she thought, half wanting to laugh, the other half merely happy.   
  
  
  
Setting away such idle, useless mental prattle, she quickly sorted from the stack her bills and anything that appeared to be personal. Torn squares of paper fluttered into the can, as she swept them neatly off the table into the trash. Considering she wasn't home most of the time, the gas, water, and electricity were rather low she noted. The remainder of the stuff was relatively useless junk, save for two other items which caught her interest. One was a letter from an old acquaintance, and the other a scarlet envelope, closed with a silver wax seal.   
  
  
  
Feeling she should get the former over with, she quickly tore open the first envelope and pulled from it a folded letter, hoping its contents were merely business. In the process of her hasty unfolding of the letter, out fell two glossy, wallet-sized photos. She quickly picked them up off the floor, and placed them facedown on the table. Having read the contents of the letter, Mai couldn't decide whether to be irritated, sick, or laugh her head off. The letter was from a certain celebrity by the name of Magnum, whom she had met years ago. Well, as the story goes, the guy proposed to her, having only just met, and Mai joked she would marry him if he could beat her in a duel. Magnum took it seriously and whipped out his deck, but Mai beat him sorely. While it didn't end there, the basic gist of things was Magnum was a loser movie star who wanted to marry Mai, but was flat out rejected.   
  
  
  
"Ra be damned how he got my godforsaken address," she grumbled wearily, glancing at the photos, both sighed. "Well, hell, at least I can make some money off of these," she muttered, stashing the two prints carefully into a side-pocket of her purse, both in a zip-lock bag. Looking back at the letter, she re-read one troubling line.  
  
  
  
"'I'll check in on ya soon, so stay sharp and be ready for a surprise'? What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Her eyes wandered to the sickeningly cheesy xox's before his signature. Once more she couldn't decide whether to laugh or barf. "Well, whatever." She dropped the letter back into the envelope a placed it in a kitchen drawer, as far as she knew she might be able to make some cash off of that as well.  
  
  
  
Picking up the second letter she saw no return address nor stamp, merely her name printed neatly in handwriting on one side, and a silver wax seal with the Kaiba Corp emblem stamped into the wax. Turning it over, she hesitantly broke the wax seal and drew from it a single piece of printed computer-paper. Carefully reading each word, she held the page lightly, taking in the meaning of the words, savoring them as connoisseur does wine. A duelist's tournament. Mai Kujaku could not be more thankful for a break in the monotony of her life, for the new challenge, for a chance to see how old acquaintances had grown over time's passage. However, as she skimmed the contents of the letter again, a sense of weariness made her hold back a bit, as the tournament seemed rather exclusive, and few details were released. Ah, hang it, she thought. If Seto Kaiba and his mega-corporation want to be secretive about things, it was nothing new. It also could be nothing Mai and her friends couldn't handle, well, at least according to Yugi Motou.   
  
***  
  
The wind whipped the hair of Kajiki Ryouta about as he peered out at the endless sea from his place on the furthest protrusion of the pier. The azure waves crashed relentlessly against its supports. Gulls squawked incessantly as he rose, then turned around to face his reality. The thud of his waterproof boots as he strode upon the beaten, weather-worn pier caused it to creak, as if out of pain and protest. This is what I get for what I've become, he thought, as he stepped onto the concrete sidewalk, heading for the port's tavern.   
  
  
  
Shoving open the door, he was greeted by the familiar scent of burning cigarettes, sea salted air, and various mixed forms of alcohol. The Cardiff's Inn was a well known gathering place for smugglers, thieves, and pretty much anyone else whom one might hire to do their dirty work for very little or a pretty penny, depending on how skilled they were.   
  
  
  
"Scallywags," Kajiki muttered to himself, passing by a few longshoremen picking up a job from some junior executive who wanted them to break his boss's legs. Of course a job like that was simple enough, and hiring some amateurs wouldn't hurt. Anyone who had a serious job however, would come specifically to see Kajiki. Many men came in and bought drinks merely to have a chance to talk with him, discussing his fees for various 'hypothetical' situations. From experience, Ryouta knew that ninety percent of those offers were serious, but withdrawn out of either cowardice or due to their greedy, penny-pinching habits. Many times he had found that either his price or his personality turned out to be the turnoff at the end of a few of his consultations. Just last month a man had approached him, sober as all hell, and offered him a couple hundred to off his wife, on account of a affair he was having. Kajiki had turned down the offer, stating plainly that the cost would have to be at least eight-hundred higher, as clean-up and setting up a good a great deal of skill, planning, and some costly supplies. The man was so angered by the difference in price that he left in disgust, after buying a beer he didn't drink. Dumb oaf went home, figured it couldn't be that hard, and next Kajiki saw him was on the front page of the Sea Breeze Daily Paper three days later. Regardless of these frequent flakes, he kept a steady, almost flooded business schedule in constant motion, allowing himself time for a break when he felt it was necessary. Eight months ago the barkeep had allowed him permanently buy one of the rooms off of him, just because he brought in so much business. Sure he had a few straighter jobs, but he found himself depending more and more on his "dirty" jobs to get him the cash he needed. Having found a ship for sale that caught his eye, he was only two thousand dollars shy of having the amount on its price tag. Four good jobs and he could get it, of course not legal jobs by any means.  
  
  
  
"A job's a job," Kajiki grumbled, half wishing he believed it, only because a part of him did. When did I fall into this stinking pit, he mused, leaning back in a stretch, hands behind his head. The barkeep, Ed, swam into view, portly, bearded round face with its accompanying pot-bellied body. He gave Kajiki a slight grin, then picked a polished glass off the rack be hind the bar and slid it to Kajiki. Knowing the ritual, Kajiki tore off a piece of a napkin, scribbled his preferred drink on the said slip of paper, then folded it and tossed it in the glass, sending it back to Ed. He caught sight of Ed stopping the glass and pouring the piece of paper into his hand, before slipping back into his brooding reverie.   
  
  
  
"Hey there handsome," a slightly slurred voice sang from behind him. God, I hate that cliché line, he thought to himself at the sound of it. Feeling the breath of another against his neck, he turned to face the nuisance. "Buy me a drink?" Asked the slim, pale redhead who stared into his eyes.  
  
  
  
Kajiki hesitated, then turned completely around on his barstool, leaning forward and staring into the girl's brown eyes. "And why should I do that?" He stated it plainly, undecided as to whether he had wanted it to be smooth and seductive or an angry snarl. Face slightly flushed by alcohol, she gave a slight frown, as she saw no free seats near Kajiki, then happily plopped herself on his lap. "And what the hell are you doing?" He asked, voice edged with irritation.  
  
  
  
She obviously didn't catch the irritation, asking again, "Buy me a drink," as she slid an arm around Ryouta. What she also didn't catch was the large, burly blonde approaching the two.   
  
  
  
The scent of cheap gin and peanuts blasted into Kajiki's face, as the words "Git yur han's off-uh my fuckin bitch" boomed in his ears above the buzz of the crowd. Isn't that a bit redundant, Kajiki thought, as he shoved the girl into her presumed boyfriend.   
  
  
  
"Whatever man, she was the one trying to pick up on me," he stated casually, feeling the odd need to keep up his persona for the time being. He stood up, glaring a warning at the drunkard. Grabbing the redhead's wrist, the guy lumbered off and out of the bar. Good, Kajiki thought, the shit-head knows what's good for him. Settling back in to his seat at the bar, he rubbed his head. Ed appeared soon after with his drink.   
  
  
  
"Maybe if you ignore them, they'll leave you alone," Ed chuckled, referring to Ryouta's problem with females in general. Whether he said it to cheer Ryouta or for his own enjoyment, however, was unclear. Hearing no reaction from his best source of publicity, Ed passed over the drink, then paused. "Some guy came over and gave me this to give you," he said casually, though curiosity was easily read from his voice. He handed over a scarlet envelope. Kajiki beheld it with weariness, then ripped off the top, reading the letter.   
  
  
  
"Dear Kajiki, we have information pertaining to the whereabouts of your father. If you wish for us to disclose such information to you, come to the duelist's tournament being held at....." His voice trailed off, whispering the words to himself. Ed appeared nonplussed, though his number one attraction had, unbeknownst to him, already decided he must reach wherever it was the letter said, be the location hell itself.  
  
***  
  
Katsuya Jounochi dashed into the open front door of his sister's home, only partially comprehending the ransacked rooms he passed by. This can't be happening, he thought, as he passed by a row of pictures laying on the floor, an overturned chair, and halted quickly before his sister's room.   
  
  
  
"Shizuka!" He yelled as he looked about, dumbstruck by her disappearance, and feeling it was his own personal failure. Shoving open her slightly ajar door, he looked madly about in a last ditch effort to find his lost sister. However, the action afforded him no comfort, for she was obviously nowhere to be seen. Instead he found himself staring at sheet of ordinary paper, laying as an alien object upon Shizuka's bed. Slowly walking, as if in a daze, his vision restricted to only the paper. Slowly grasping the foreign item, he lifted it to his eyes. A note? I'll never be able to pay the ransom, he thought when the lines on the sheet registered as writing. His mouth went dry, as he read the computer-printed letter. Shizuka's kidnapper had promised not to harm her, if he came to and participated in a duelists' tournament. Eyes darting further down the paper, his only clue as to when he should arrive was a Domino City address and the words "come as you please." "Like hell I'm going to wait," he growled, fist clenching the offending letter.  
  
***  
  
Slumped over his barstool, not an hour after reading the letter from Kaiba Corp, Kajiki was ready to let himself drown in drinks and frustration. Here he was, the largest business in Japan having information about his father, and he was stuck in some sea-side community on an island community, isolated from most of the world, reached mainly by the occasional private planes and yachts that came and went. Staring into the glass of brandy Ed had set before him, he hardly noticed the form of a man sitting at the now empty stool by his side.   
  
  
  
"Hey, buddy, you the guy everyone's talkin' about?" Kajiki turned to his right, sitting up straight and facing the newcomer. His trained eyes noted the man was well dressed, hair combed neatly back with several stray hairs hanging off at odd angles.   
  
  
  
"Depends on which people we're talking about," he replied, not really in the mood to take on any low-paying, straight and narrow jobs at the moment. The man's eyes, a tired faded blue, glanced down for a moment, then looked back up at him, but they were no longer the faded color. They were intense, still tired, but those of a man possessed.   
  
  
  
"You are Kajiki Ryouta, are you not?" Ryouta gave a slight nod. "I want you to deal with a certain person." He said suddenly, staring directly into Ryouta's eyes. Sensing the desperation behind the man's tone of voice, Kajiki quickly motioned for him to be silent, before he loudly said anything incriminating.  
  
  
  
"Let's discuss this topic back in my room," He said, standing and sipping down the last of his drink. Swallowing to quickly, he felt the familiar burn of his throat being scorched raw by alcohol. The other man stood, and Kajiki indicated the stairs. "I'll head up, and you go talk to Ed in fifteen minutes. Tell him you got some business with me, and he'll let you up and tell you the room." The words were whispered so only his potential client could hear him, then he said more loudly, "I don't know what you're talking about. Leave me alone." As he headed for the stairs he gave Ed a look, motioned to the man, then quickly told him to let him upstairs. Ed nodded, and returned to his customers as Kajiki headed up the flight of stairs and prepared to meet with his.  
  
  
  
"I want you to kill a man." The elderly client looked seriously at Kajiki from his seat. Kajiki rose from his chair and grabbed a glass from the cooler, filled it with vodka, and handed it to the man.   
  
  
  
"I gathered that much back when we were downstairs. What's your name?" The man accepted the vodka, sipping it with all the class of any educated, scholarly businessman.   
  
  
  
"If you must know, in the business world I go by the name Hugh Cliffner." The words came out with no emotion. "May we discuss the details of the case?" Kajiki nodded. "This is the man I wish dead." He continued, producing from his pocket a picture of another corporate mogul. Peppered hair covered his head, and large thick glasses reflected the sea, hiding his eyes. He was standing on a large sailboat, one might consider it a small tall-ship.  
  
  
  
"The ship," Kajiki interrupted. "Is it his?"  
  
  
  
"That is correct, but let me return to that matter later." Hugh produced a handgun. "This gun is registered as that of the target," he stated, holding it for Kajiki to examine. Grasping it with a cloth, he turned it over, and saw engraved in the butt of the gun a faded first initial and the letter "R". "You are to murder him with that gun. I don't care if it looks like a suicide or not."  
  
  
  
"You don't care how he dies?"  
  
  
  
"No, as long as it leaves no clues as to who the killer was. I shall be dining with him that night, but when you kill him I will not be in his company. I need to keep up appearances after all."  
  
  
  
"Look, this all sounds good, and well planned out for once, but I gotta name my price." Ryouta cut in, not worried he was wasting time, just checking to see if he might need to give the guy a reality check as to how much this would cost him. "I also need the conditions under which the said payment will be received."  
  
  
  
"I am willing to pay you a sum of two thousand dollars, no more." The man was looking away to Kajiki's good fortune, as his eyes momentarily bulged in reaction to the man's, generosity. "However, I will only pay the full amount under the circumstances that you kill the target, dispose of the corpse, and sail from this harbor in his ship."  
  
  
  
Kajiki raised a brow. "Sail away in the ship?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, the ship is yours to keep, so long as you sail away for a few months, or at least until the whole business blows over. Such a task will surely cost you a deal of business, thus the large payment is meant as compensation"  
  
  
  
"Sounds good," he replied cooly, nodding as he said it.  
  
  
  
"Good." They discussed the method of payment. and smoothed out the details of the plan. Four hours later, Hugh Cliffner left with a substantially more springy step. Kajiki sighed, then leaned back in bed. Only thing to do now is wait for the date, then head off and get the job done. When Cliffner had asked his destination, he merely smiled and said, "don't worry, you won't see me for quite some time."  
  
~tbc~  
  
A/N: There's the third! Are you guys liking it so far? ^_^ Leave a review! Reviews are much inspiration! We like to know what you think about our crazy wacko storyline so far TeeHee.   
  
Ahhh yes, for clarification the PILLOW FIGHT DID HAPPEN ^___^ It was a flashback within a dream, if that makes any sense Heehhe  
  
Btw. Just wondering, Can anyone name the meaning of this chapter? Or the hidden meaning behind the last chapter? Teheehehehe ^___^ It's a little challenge, and if you get both of em, we'll think of something ta award ya with! Heheeh  
  
Psst. Support RyouxBakura ^____^ Join the fanlisting in our profile. Heheeheeh.  
  
Till next time!  
  
Ja NE!   
  
R/R 


	4. Setting the Stage

And the Sun Shall Set Once More

By: Hyacinthus

Rating: R

A/N: This is really sad... so long without updating ;; But we are officially back from HIATUS! W00t! Lacuna Dum Dum

Dedication: To all our reviewers! N our NEW LOVELY BETA- Pork Steak the Grande! W/out her help ya guys wouldn't have this chapter

Chapter Couplings: RyouxBakura, MaixJou, ShizukaxOtogi, YamixSeto, YamixYugi, (onesided) RyuuzakixMalik, _slight _SetoxEspa, _slight _MalikxRyou, _slight _MarikxMalik,

Brief Coupling Clarification:

This will FOR sure be a MarikxMalik, RyouxBakura fic. That's the entire points of this fic . There will be brief interludes of MalikxRyou though pretty much what you saw a few chapters ago was the extent of it. From here on out it's all dreams and flashbacks of RyouxBakura and MarikxMalik.

On Yami. We're not quite sure what to do with him. It might end up YxYY or if Seto ends up living, YYxS. Kaede n Kar are still arguing bout dat. Kaede wants Seto together with Espa. Kar wants Espa apart to create more Seto angst. –shrugs- We'll see.

Much thanks to our reviewers:

MariksMyra: WOOHOO! Thanks for reviewing! Hahaha. We're glad that someone likes it! We're a bit slow on the updating cuz there's so many details that we wanna shove in

**Episode Four: Setting the Stage **

The cold clanging of Insector Haga's boots were an unfamiliar sound in the nearly empty Kaiba mansion. Every step brought a resonance of ice emanating from the deformed duelist. He stopped, paused and laughed; the cold guttural sound reverberated off the glossy walls. "I will win, at all costs," he spat between clenched teeth.

> > >

The light was fading. Malik plunged his hands desperately forward, long tanned fingers stretching to their fullest extent. "Isis 'neechan?" he called out. The darkness wavered, giggling at Malik's confusion. "Isis-'neechan? Where are you?" he cried desperately. His voice broke as his terror intensified, "I don't like the dark 'neechan! Come back," he broke down, slim fingers clutching at platinum locks, "Come back, please 'neechan. Don't leave me..." He beat at the nothingness beneath, "I don't want to be alone."

A bright flash of light jolted him from his crouching position. "'neechan?" he whispered, not daring to hope.

"Malik? Are you okay?"

Lavender met with chocolate as Malik lifted his head up, "R-Ry?" he stuttered.

Malik's albino lover bent down and giggled. "Look Malik! Look at whose back!" Ryou's eyes were bright with excitement and tears of joy threatened to pour.

Malik blinked when the shadows began to manifest. Ryou laughed when the slim form of his tomb robber yami began to materialize. "Kura came back. He really came back!" Ryou cried, clutching at Malik's cold hands.

"He- he came back? Oh.. Oh no. Please no. Ra no. Please." Malik felt teardrops sting the corner of his eyes.

Bakura gave Malik a devious grin, baring his sharp canine incisors, "Thanks for taking care of Ryou, Malik." The blonde's breath hitched slightly, dreading what was to come. "But I'll be taking back what belongs to me." Bakura laughed, devoid of feeling, before leaning over Ryou and viciously attacking the younger boy's lips.

Malik's violet orbs dilated in shock as he saw a trickle of blood slip down the side of Ryou's pretty mouth. Bakura laughed again, suckling on Ryou's lower lip. Malik bit back a sob when Ryou glanced over to him with forlorn eyes; "I'm sorry Malik..." Ryou began.

"Oh please. Ryou. No please don't. Ryou please, not you too. Please no. Don't leave me!"

Ryou gave Malik a sad awkward glance as Bakura wrapped a comforting arm around his hikari's shoulders. "I-I," he began before hesitating. "Bakura needs me more." He gave Malik an apologetic smile. "I hope you understand."

The platinum blonde let out a heart wrenching wail, "But Ryou.. I need.. I need you too. I don't-I don't understand!" His fists pounded futilely into space.

Ryou sobbed quietly, tears streaming down in steady torrents as Bakura led him into the shadows. Bakura's echoing voice reverberated in Malik's mind as the pair left. "You knew... you knew this day was going to come."

"NO!!" screamed Malik, "Ryou! Ryou! Come back! I need you! Ryou! Where are you going?" Silence answered his call. "Why'd you leave me?" he cried.

Amidst his cries he felt an arm slowly materialize around his shoulders. It began as a light feathery touch that slowly solidified. "Hiki...Shh.. Pretty Hiki.. Don't cry."

"Yami?" Malik let out a wet gasp of surprise.

"I'm here Hiki." The tomb guardian began to slowly massage the blonde's tense back.

Malik collapsed within his yami's warm embrace letting down the walls that he had erected so carefully to protect himself from the psychotic spirit. "Don't leave me yami, don't leave me," He murmured.

Yami no Malik sniffed. "Why Malik, why this sudden change of heart?" Malik stiffened. "I thought you hated me. I thought that you felt disgraced to have me for a yami. I thought you said you'd never forgive me..." the tan yami trailed off.

The hikari began to cry softly. Memories of his soul wandering around the world while inhabited by his insane yami returned. Memories of the pain, the anguish of not having a body. "I- I can't. I don't know."

Yami no Malik let out a hollow laugh. "I think it's time for me to leave Hiki."

"NO!!!"

Yami no Malik kissed Malik's forehead. "I loved you- still do. But," the yami paused, "Wishful thinking. Well, Ja ne!" The psychopath giggled, holding up a peace sign.

"NO!!!!!!!! COME BACK!!! Yami...Yami, I don't want to be alone again! Please yami," Malik clutched at his purple vest, his entire body sinking into the darkness, "I love you."

> > >

The elder Kaiba strode hastily passed locked doors, ran to the open ones, only for them to slam in his face. Behind each stood something of value, a millennium rod, the puzzle's answer, the stranger that had gotten him into this mess. Then he saw it, at the end of the hall, a gold embellished pair of French doors stood widely open.

"M-," tears blurred his eyes, for he'd regained sight of his lost goal.

"Mokuba?"

Behind the open entryway stood his missing brother, now here again. Seto dashed for the doors, sprinting with all his remaining strength. Suddenly, though, he saw his body was breaking. Behind him was a trail of the tattered remains of his white coat, and his own clothes hung on him in rags. Upon his now exposed limbs, cuts had twisted over his flesh, slicking his arms and legs with a spatters of blood. Abruptly, a swift pain and disconnected sensation shot throughout his left thigh. Looking down, he witnessed a laceration cleave through it, as an invisible turkey-cutter shearing through meat, tearing, ripping, grinding against his bone. The entirety of flesh upon that leg seemed to begin to slide down off the bone, when he witnessed the splitting of his bone, a toothpick snapping, accompanied by a wet, sickening crunch. Intermingled splinters of bone and chunks of living marrow fell in a brief rain upon the white cement floor. The blood loss and lack of limb hit him with a fierce wave of nausea as he careened forward. Before losing sight of his brother, he saw the doors had turned to prison bars, gold with glass between them. Now blood-stained cement rushed up to meet him, scraping jagged cuts along his face, bloodying more than his cheek and lip. Skidding to a stop, he managed to open his right eye, showing as a sliver of the moon. It squeezes shut, as the head turns slightly away from the sight of his own appearance. His blood and concrete slip-n-slide trip has left him a broken man. All of his riches could not save him his leg, among the other damages he had seen. Ripped from him, as though scraped and pulled off, scraps of his torn tan flesh are stuck to the concrete, his own arms freed of any skin, leaving raw muscle exposed. Veins and arteries burst from the skidding friction bleed freely, forming growing pools of blood about them.

"Seto?" His head lifts up a second time, eyes widening in shock. The prison bars have turned to twisted gold rose vines, with pure, clear glass roses, and tiny glass thorns. From behind the twisted rose vines pale green hair and once mischievous eyes familiar from his past implore that he answer.

"Esp?" His voice cracks, tears blurring his own eyes. The green haired boy looks down at him sorrowfully.

"Seto," he moans in a terribly anguished whisper. "Why? Was it me?"

"No, no no," he cries, "no Esp, don't say that... It's my fault. I did, I di-" his voice chokes off with tears. "I don't want you hurt...." With one gruesome, pain ridden arm, he lifts his hand, reaching for his lost love, bleeding fingers grasping air.

Seto Kaiba awoke from his slumber, clothes drenched in sweat.

"Master Kaiba, we will be arriving shortly." The pilot's voice comes in through the overhead speakers, cutting off Tartini's Devil's Trill, then the song resumes, still playing through its slow, melodramatic beginning. Sitting up, he stretches his neck and shoulders before glancing at his watch. All those idiots better show, Kaiba thought, hoping Mokuba had not been harmed. Standing up, he walks stiffly to the back of his private jet, pours himself a glass of chardonnay, and heads back toward his seat. The plane hits some turbulence, sending the groggy Kaiba stumbling. Wincing he opens his eyes and sees the chardonnay has spilt across his sleeves and some drips onto his shirt from his cheek. Flashes of his dream return to him, haunting his conscious.

"God, I destroyed everything I could ask for," the whisper escapes with a slight sob. He lets it go, the only other staff on the plane are in the cockpit, behind locked doors.

> > >

Mai sat in her chair and rifled her deck from hand to hand. The television was set on the local news channel, one of the few free local channels she received. She leaned back and flipped through her deck, smiling as she passed cards she had favored in the past. The thought of dueling again made her feel as though things were getting brighter by the moment. Shuffling through her deck again, she mixed the cards together and bridged them. Still, a slight sense of foreboding, and weariness came to her at the thought of going to the tournament. Something felt as though things weren't quite right. Then the news caught her attention.

"Today I'm standing here with the movie star Magnum in our very own city hall!" The ecstatic female newscaster practically screamed with joy. Mai's cards, in mid-rifle shot off in an odd direction, spraying all over her kitchen and dining room floor.

"What the-" Bending over to pick them up, she swore beneath her breath, snatching her Cyber Harpy Dragon out of a glass of water on the table. "It better not be ruined," she grumbled anxiously, shaking it dry and patting the water off of it with a napkin.

"So, Magnum, how do you like our humble city," the reporter giggled excitedly. 'Stupid fangirl,' Mai thought. Then she heard a voice which caused her to drop all her cards once more, and practically gag.

"Well Maria-"

"Theresa," the giggly brunette corrected.

"Sorry, Lisa," continued Magnum. 'Ugh, what a block-headed idiot,' Mai mentally commented. She continued picking up the previously dropped cards. The movie star and reporter continued their idle, third-grade level conversation, and Mai continued to retrieve her cards when a sudden, terrible realization hit her. No, it couldn't be, she thought, but still, the fact that Magnum was an hour's drive away at the city hall of her city was no comforting thought. Stop being silly, she told herself, there's no way he'd come all the way out here and waste all that money just to see me, especially after all of these years. Yeah, seriously, what kind of idiot would pursue someone who rejected them after this many years, she reassured herself, he'd have to be more stupid than that damned Bandit Keith. That's when Mai realized he was more idiotic than Keith, by leaps and bounds, to no comfort. Well, I guess he might be that dumb, but he's probably got a terrible memory, right? Her frantic thoughts slowly began to disappear around the time she was finishing putting away all of her cards, when a suddenly horrible thought struck her.

"Shit!" The word left her lips in a frustrated exclamation similar to that of one who has just realized they've left their wallet, purse, keys, and jacket in one of those crowded night clubs on the New York strip, and is currently standing outside, in a blizzard, wearing nothing but a skimpy, small halter top and miniskirt. How she had missed such an obvious clue, she could not comprehend, but nonetheless, it was there. Sitting in her kitchen drawer was the letter from that same self-centered movie star. "Okay, calm down," she told herself. "The interview is live, so he's still an hour away, with me being able to keep tabs on him." She let out a tense breath, attempting to release the sudden waves of irritating stress with the carbon dioxide.

"Mai, it's Jounochi," a tense voice beckons from her answering machine. 'I must have missed the rings when I was thinking', she mused, as she hurried over to the phone to pick it up before Jou hung up.

"Hey Jou, what's wrong?" There was a momentary pause of silence over the line.

"Can you meet me over at Yamashiro Park?" His voice was slightly more controlled, but still filled with a tense, shaky tone.

"Sure, but what's wrong?" Mai was worried, but she didn't make it audible. She waited for a reply, but after a while, the dial tone convinced her he was gone. Hanging up the phone, Mai grabbed her denim jacket, with the switchblade in its inner zippered pocket, then on an impulse snagged her deck of cards and slid them into one of her pockets. Flicking off the TV as she walked to the door, she was just in time to hear the ditzy reporter squeal "back to you Vicky."

> > >

Ryuuzaki's corvette shimmered in the bright glare of the sun overhead. His dark chocolate eyes remained fixated on the road as he sped towards the Kaiba mansion. "He has to be there. He just has to be. One of the world's top duelists," mused Ryuuzaki. Letting his brown hair drape over the back of his leather seats Ryuuzaki adjusted his rear view mirror. Espa would be there. At least he would have someone to talk to.

His car halted to a grinding stop right in front of the Kaiba mansion. A valet leaned over and curtly asked, "Would you like me to park your car?"

Ryuuzaki glared. Not his Corvette. Never in a million years. "I'll be fine." He replied with a forced smile.

"Yes sir."

As Ryuuzaki drove around the parking area for a suitable parking spot, his hand instinctively shot to his glove compartment where his beloved deck lay.

Insector would most definitely be there. He growled, low in his throat. Since the disappearance of Malik and his albino friend, Insector quickly rose to the top of the duelist world. Ryuuzaki had decided, along with Espa to take a small pilgrimage of his own in some sense. There is no doubt that in the absence of the top duelists, many new and arrogant youngsters must have made their way to the top. Ryuuzaki smirked, wondering how many of them would be there. Snorting, he turned into a parking space. All the newbies are just asking for it. They had no idea. No idea of the raw strength. No idea of the unbridled power. Oh they'll learn soon. Yugioh is much more than just a game. Much, much more.

This will prove to be very interesting.

Ryuuzaki's dark eyes glittered as he slowly walked up the gentle slope leading up to the gigantic mansion. It felt good to be truly alive. His cards bounced slightly in his vest as he walked away from his beloved Corvette.

> > >

"Oh Ho Ho! Look Keith! How lucky! We have two seats right next to each other." Pegasus gave Keith a sadistic grin, holding up his deck of cards, "Care to duel?"

Keith growled low in his throat and rudely shoved Pegasus out of the way before sitting in his own seat. "Shut up, freak, and leave me alone you fucker."

Pegasus laughed "Oh, but if I do that the airplane trip wouldn't be very fun now would it?"

Keith growled and sunk low in his seat. This was going to be one hell of a long plane ride.

> > >

"We're sorry, the number you have dialed is currently out of service. If you feel you have reached this recording through an error, please hang up and try you call again." Ryuji Otogi hung up the phone. Having called Shizuka's home thrice, with no response but that stated above, he was beginning to feel a bit worried, but jumping to conclusions would not be an intelligent choice at the moment. It was obvious that he didn't want to look like an idiot in the way that hotheaded Jounouchi often did. Grabbing his coat, he reasoned he had nothing else to do, and quickly headed out to stop by and check in on her, or at least look for someone who might know what had happened to Shizuka.

Otogi ran swiftly along the sidewalk, easily avoiding other pedestrians, since they were moving at a snail's pace in comparison to him. It's probably nothing, he assured himself calmly. No worries. Caught in his thoughts, he was only partially aware of the blonde that dashed from her front door and out onto the sidewalk, before he collided with her.

"Excuse me, I'm really sorry," he quickly blurted to the other. Standing up, he felt a hand around his forearm give him a quick tug. "Ryuji?" Otogi turned around and found himself staring down at Mai. Seeing he had stopped, she let go of his arm and pushed herself up onto her feet, though he had offered her a hand. 'Should've known,' he thought, Mai's not the kind of person to accept help that isn't needed.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" He inquired politely, as she brushed herself off, making sure she still had her deck and blade.

"To meet Jounouchi at Yamashiro Park, he said he needed to talk. What about you?"

Otogi smiled. No point in being too guarded around the one person who was trying to help him win Shizuka. "Just to check up on Shizuka. I called a few times, but it kept saying the number was unavailable. Maybe their getting some work on their phone lines done, but I just want to make sure everything's alright."

Mai's brow furrowed at his words. "Maybe you should come with me," her voice trailed off clouded in thought, then added as an afterthought, "Jounouchi sounded rather... distressed." Otogi grew serious, then nodded, the implication hitting him. The two began running to Yamashiro Park, both athletic, and easily maintaining a speedy pace. "You said you couldn't contact Shizuka," Mai reiterated between breathes.

"Yeah, I called three times, but the thing kept giving me that annoying 'we're sorry, the number you have dialed is currently out of service' recording." He shouted over the noise of a passing bus in response. "Man, this could be some serious trouble, though I hate to admit it."

"I know what you mean," Mai said, giving him a glance through the corner of her eye. "I know all too well exactly what you mean."

Entering Yamashiro park, the two hardly paused to catch their breathes, as they scanned the empty recreational area. Jounouchi sat slumped, head down, not even trembling. Mai rushed over, and upon hearing footsteps, Jounouchi quickly looked up, removing his hands from his face. "Mai," he began, voice

strangled and choked. Then his voice caught in his throat, struggling to shove down the rage upon seeing Otogi with his girlfriend.

"Relax, I ran into him on the way," Mai quickly stated, deliberately omitting the fact that they had done so quite literally. "He said he called Shizuka three times, but the calls wouldn't go through. What's going on?" Mai's eyes searched Jounouchi's for any last hope that it were just a bad joke or misunderstanding.

Glaring at Otogi, Jounouchi sighed resignedly and slumped back onto the bench. "They took Shizuka." He said, emotions momentarily unreadable. "Shizuka's been kidnapped, and they're using her as a way to get to me." From his new tone of voice it was easy to read him once more, the emotions showing as a jumble of anger, shame, sadness, loss, and pleading.

"Jounouchi," Otogi spoke, attention directed to him, for he was not expected to act in this manner. "I understand how you feel, how you may have felt in the past," he glanced at Mai. "And I know you may not like me, but I will help find and rescue her." His green eyes shone with determination, and

newfound rage.

"This is all well and good," Mai butted in before Jounouchi could start an argument, "but do we have any clues as to where they are holding her?"

"They left a note. I'm going to a duelist's tournament in Domino City. They should be keeping her there."

"A duelist's tournament?" Mai pulled out her letter. "Let me see that note." Upon comparison the two had the same address written as the location of the duel. "Well, I guess that raises our odds of getting her back." The attempt at optimism sounded more than cynical.

"Can I see that note?" Ryuji cut in. Mai handed him her letter. Scanning it for details he disappointedly read 'Duelists can enter by invitation only.'"

"Looks like you'll have to sit this one out."

"No, I'm going to go. Just because I can't duel in the tournament doesn't mean I can't help." His face set obstinately, it became clear that he was not going to be convinced otherwise, though it was apparent he was disappointed that he could not duel.

> > >

Insector Haga sat in his personal suite within the Kaiba Mansioin. "Note to self," he muttered, "Buy Kaiba's mansion when I squash him in this tournament."

The Greco Roman architecture of this suite made it Haga's favorite, not to mention the draped velvet on the wall, in stark contrast with the golden ornaments glittering on the side of the wall. Haga chuckled, pushing his horn rimmed glasses back to the bridge of his nose. "There is no doubt about it. Soon, this mansion will belong to me!"

A gentle rapping on the door shook Haga from his gloating. "Master Haga, Master Ryuuzaki and Master Roba have arrived."

Insector Haga grinned, "Those two are still here? I thought they disappeared awhile ago?" Insector laughed and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

> > >

Kajiki Ryouta looked into his closet, and checked all of the compartments of his small room. Making sure he had packed everything, he pulled open a small chest, and placed in it one of his shark teeth necklaces. It was a gift he had intended to give Ed for letting him buy the place, but now it would be his only way of proving he owned it when he returned. Locking the chest, he slipped the key on a chain that fit tightly around his neck, then covered it. "Everything's packed up and ready to go," he muttered, staring at the large canvas bags near the doorway. He had begun taking things out a few days prior, so Ed wouldn't suspect anything major. The three bags sitting by his door were the last ones, and he would take them down all at once. With only three bags, if Ed asked he could merely smile and whisper it was a corpse. Fortunately, being day, the bar was empty, save for two or three seeking shelter from the balmy weather outside. Ed was nowhere to be seen, and the drinks were locked up tight, so Kajiki headed out to his truck. He had made arrangements to sell it, the new owner coming to buy it this afternoon. He figured he didn't know exactly when he'd be back, and in a seaside community a car that remains uncared for would be eaten up by the salt and weather in no time, so he might as well make a few bucks off the piece of junk. The new owner would have it in his driveway by twenty past three, if all went well.

Loading the bags into the back of his closed bed truck, he shut the top and locked it into place, heading around to the driver's seat. Twisting the keys around, the engine coughed to life, and he left the lot, driving through alleyways to the place where he had stashed all of his belongings. Checking off all of the items, he looked over at a nearby pile of garbage.

"Pete." The pile shifted, and a weathered stew bum poked his head out of the junk. "You've done a good job, just keep up the watch." The stew bum nodded, and hid himself in the garbage again. Meters away from his target's ship, he dumped the remainder of his stuff in the piles Pete was watching, dusted off his hands, and left to tie up the remaining odds and ends of his departure.

> > >

"Yami?" The startled yami stirred, answering in a slightly surprised tone. It was the first word his hikari had spoken in hours since they had left from the small municipal airport on the plane tickets Seto had sent them.

"Yeah?" He shifted slightly, facing Yugi at a quarter-turn angle. "What's up?" His not so notably smaller counterpart looked at his own lap, then smiled back at him, eyes closed.

"How are you feeling?" Yami stared blankly at him. What kind of question was that? Yami had thought that he had been hiding his disappointment and irritation over the lack of contact with Seto for the past day pretty well. So what if he got a little cranky when he didn't get his daily dosage of screwing behind his hikari's back? It's not like he was going to tell Yugi. "Oh, well I didn't get to screw with the guy we're about to go visit behind your back yesterday, that's all." Well, at least they were on their way to see him.

Holding onto the thought of the night to come, Yami replied, almost merrily, "Fine, but aren't you a bit nervous? I mean this is Seto we're talking about, so shouldn't you be keeping your guard up?"

Glancing back down at his own lap, Yugi considered his past relationship with the corporate mogul, the times they had been at odds, and the letter he had so recently received from him, to which he was currently responding. "I don't know." Inhaling a hesitant breath, he looked back up at his yami, earnest eyes telling the entire story. "I just want to trust in him. I want to be his friend, not thinking about the reasons for me to hate him. I do think he is being honest, and I want to honor that honesty."

Eyes wide, but not at all surprised, Yami inwardly laughed at his naïve little counterpart. Before he had thought the thief and psycho had gotten the best of the hikaris, but now he knew he had been wrong. Unlike Ryou and Malik, Yugi Motou never suspected anything, never worried that his yami was unfaithful. Yugi Motou trusted his yami with all of his heart. Knowing of unspoken wrongs he and Seto had committed, completely unbeknownst to poor little Yugi Mouto, Yami could hardly help himself but to smile. "I'm sure he will, hikari, I'm sure he will. The poor sap could never know, smugly thought Yami no Yugi.

> > >

The slosh of the body breaking water caused a brief break in the relative calm of the waters around his ship. Floating for a moment as the corpse soaked in water, the glistening gun clutched in its left hand sparkled, pleading not to sink into the ocean's murky depths, stuck to the rotting organic mass, before the water swallowed both. Giving the water a fleeting stare, remembering a lost time when his optimism for finding his father had overpowered any discouraging thoughts, Ryouta couldn't help but release a cynical laugh. Boots thudding on the wooden deck, Ryouta slinked back into the cabin, glancing at the massive control station. The ship had turned out to be much more technologically enhanced than he could have ever dreamed.

Setting the ship on its auto-pilot mode, he laid himself on a small bunk in the back, then drifted off to sleep.

> > >

"Master Kaiba, we've received word from Ryouta. He's requesting that his docking be provided and paid for."

I've just arrived and the first things out of their mouths are questions of business, Seto twitched irritably. "Just let him use the private harbor."

Upon noting the incredulous look on his attendant's face, he gave him a glare, silencing him into submission. Where had all the good, competent help around this place gone. Man that slut of yami had been a petulant brat. What was the stupid pharaoh's problem anyway, it was only one day! Seto mentally grumbled.

"S-sir? The other guests..." What the hell is that wannabe intern still doing here?! Seto clenched his teeth, practically growling with annoyance.

"Just attend to their god damned needs ok?! Unless their asking for vast sums of money or the deed to my company, I don't want to see your face again!"

Squeaking in fear, the employee disappeared, practically scuttling behind the nearest column to avoid further incurring the wrath of the young corporate god before him. Sighing in exasperation, Seto uncharacteristically twisted a lock of his hair, muttering, "Cool down Kaiba, you're letting things slip." Moving into the manor, he headed for his library.

> > >

Espa followed Riff from the limo through the side doors of the Kaiba Mansion, his breath coming in quick short gasps.

"Master Roba?" questioned Riff, "Are you okay?"

"I'll be okay."

Riff paused for a moment before he continued to walk. "Master Kaiba awaits you in the study. It's down-"

"I remember Riff," Espa cut him off. "Thank you."

Riff nodded before bowing, "By your leave then Master Roba."

Espa gave Riff a trembling hug before starting down the long hallway to the study.

It was quiet when Espa first entered the large room. Rows of bookshelves lined the walls, his gaze swiveled to a desk centered above a velvet carpet. His eyes flinched visibly- something was wrong. "Seto?" he called out. "Are you there?" Silence.

The chair rocked slowly back and forth looking out of the large rectangular window framing the background. "Set? Is that you?" he choked, trying to stop the tears that threatened to pout. "It's me.. Esp."

"E-Esp?"

> > >

Approaching the Kaiba manor indicated in their letters, Mai and Jou glanced at each other before an outraged yell came from the entrance. Running to the entrance, they met an attendant of the grounds, apparently the doorman, who quickly stopped them halfway.

"WHAT in the world are you impoverished fools doing here!? Do you know what'll happen to me if Master Kaiba sees you here? SHOO! I don't want to lose my job!" The shrieking, hysterical uniformed doorman practically screamed.

"Look, we're Kaiba's guests, so if you want to keep your job you'd better drop that tone," Mai stated flatly, flashing her letter. She had to admit that watching the insolent brat's face turn pasty white was somewhat gratifying, before continuing. "So could you show us to wherever we're to meet?"

After stuttering and mumbling a moment, the attendant managed a humbled "Meeting tomorrow... You can get your rooms in the front hall..."

> > >

"Right this way please." Motioning toward a mahogany finished door, the servant gave a brief nod before disappearing around the corner. Reaching for the door, Yugi hesitated, then twisted the handle open. Inside an ancient Egypt motif room caused Yugi's eyes to widen. Dusty colored tile floors, false columns on the walls, and a bed with the crest of Ra as a headboard sent Yugi running through the room examining every detail of it, after taking off his shoes of course.

"Very fucking funny," muttered Yami. Unlike his lighter half, he had noticed the subtle details of the room suggested a royal tomb, specifically the pharaoh's crypt chamber. 'What the hell is this supposed to mean!' he angrily pondered.

"What Yami?"

"Oh, err, nothing." He turned to face Yugi, who had paused momentarily, full attention on his love. "I mean, this room is pretty amazing." He finished, accompanied with a forced half-smile.

Yugi cocked his head in confusion, then smiled. 'Maybe the setting brought back good memories for Yami,' he thought to himself, before he heard a knock on the doorframe.

"Your luggage, sirs?" The servant peeked his head into the room.

"Oh, thanks!" Yugi practically skipped over, taking half of the bags from the man, before Yami moved to grab the rest. Setting the bags at the foot of the bed, Yami sat on the bed, letting his thoughts travel back to Seto, wondering where he was, hoping he could lose Yugi long enough to find him and have a little fun.

> > >

"Why do I have to share a room with him?!" Jounouchi whined as Mai handed them the keys.

"Well, if you'd prefer that he share a room with me-"

"AAAAGH!" Jou screamed in frustration. "Fine! Fine! Whatever... but this doesn't mean I have to like it. Come on, lets get this over with." Jou practically spat as he stormed off behind the nearest servant.

"Well, it can't be all that bad," Otogi said, faltering smile twitching nervously.

"Sorry about that... just ignore it. I'll try to talk some sense into him later." Mai gave him a sympathetic shrug.

"Well, thanks anyway... see you later." Ryuji turned, sprinting after the fuming Jou.

> > >

"Flight 996 arriving in Tokyo!!" sung Pegasus, much to Keith's annoyance.

"Would you please shut up already!"

"Awww, Keithy boy. You should have a better attitude! Come, sing with me, Funny bunny loves you. Funny bunny loves me. Come with me and be the honey of funny bunny!" Pegasus laughed, his glass eye rolling backwards into his head. "Oh look! Looks like we're about to land!"

"Thank God."

"Hey! Do you think we could hitch a taxi ride together Keithy boy? It'll save on the fare."

"No thank you."

"Oh but Keithy Boy, I don't have enough money get to Domino City from here."

"Then walk." Keith ground his teeth in annoyance, Pegasus was going to get a knuckle sandwich if he didn't shut up soon.

"Oh but Keithy boy, I'm sure the driver of the taxi wouldn't mind."

Bandit Keith let out cool collected breaths before jamming into his pocket for some spare cash. Shoving it at the insane albino he muttered, "Take it. Just stay off of MY taxi."

"Oh why thank you Keithy boy!"

"SHUT UP!"

tbc

Another chapter here we go. Wow. Whew. That one took awhile, everything is slowly falling into place. Who can guess what will happen? O.O

Will Yugi find out about Yami? Will Seto go back with Espa? What will happen to Yami? Will Bakura return? Where is Bakura? Where Is Marik? What's wrong with Malik? Who kidnapped Serenity? Who kidnapped Mokuba? Hrm.. review to find out! Hahaha

We're very pleased with the way that this has turned out. Even though it hasn't been accepted much by da reviewers. WE LOVE IT! WOOHOO! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys truly ROCK!

Oh yeah, and if your planning on reviewing, if you'd answer these slight questions in your review it would be very helpful!

Do you like Espa as he's presented? Ryou? Malik? Yami no Yugi? Seto? Ryuuzaki? THANKIE! WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Man.. we took a really big step presenting Espa and Ryuuzaki. -.-;; Let's see how well it goes over.


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